We can only teach what we know.
Over the past couple weeks I’ve found myself teaching children about God, His love and word multiple times a day. Often without any preparation (due to our spontaneous schedule or a lack of time between other ministries) we simply share whatever is on our hearts to these precious kids.
There are times when I wish I could invest the time I usually would back home. Yet there are other times when I’m pleasantly surprised by how God uses our trust in Him to bring about really neat stuff. It helps that it’s not just one of us doing everything, but all five of us listening for what to say. We’ve balanced each other well and helped each other push out of our comfort zones in many instances already.
It’s odd to think back to the times when I was a spoon-fed Christian. I would come to youth group on Wednesday and listen to the message/ soak in the worship. Then I would wait for Sunday when I could get back into the middle of God’s presence. I still prayed during the week. But I didn’t really pursue God. I didn’t read His word or take time set aside just for Him and me. I relied on church to fill me up with God.
Then I started consistently reading the Bible. It revolutionized how my week went. Every day I got a piece of what He had to say. I remember finding it to be a lot more interesting and relatable than I’d thought it would be (except maybe Leviticus).
Once I because a part of a church plant, I no longer had the luxury of being in service every week. So I started listening to services via podcasts, reading more devotionals, and digging in a little deeper. Don’t get me wrong, I still have seasons when I don’t get a lick out of what I’m reading or I’m not being diligent about staying in sync with God. I’ve gotten bored with the Bible before.
But being in a season where I don’t have time to read the word or a devotional for 30 minutes every day and I don’t have 45 minutes to listen to a podcast (that’s if I could download it lol) I miss the freedom of those days. There’s something beautiful about sitting in a room alone and worshiping God. I realize how I’ve taken for granted the independence and personal space I had back at home.
This has made me so grateful for the times I do get to be alone with my Jesus. When I wake up early enough to journal and worship or steel away for 5 minutes to read a chapter, the sense of fulfillment is multiplied from what I usually experience. There’s change and new things around every corner but at each step God has given me just enough for that day. I’ve never been hungrier to hear what God has to say. I’ve never been more desperate to know Him more.
Part of that is just because I want to experience more of Him (which I do, absolutely). But also, I’m becoming more aware that I can only share what I know. When I stand in front of these kids, I can only tell them what I know. So I want to know more. The more I seek, the more I find, the more I can share with those I come in contact with. And that’s the goal: to fill up so I can pour out… and repeat.
You never know if you’re the only person who will speak life into those you come in contact with.
