For a majority of my life, I have attended private school. In kindergarten I memorized the second and fourth commandment (those being the longest) and learned the Lord’s prayer. We had Bible class, where I would learn about Adam and Eve, Moses, David and Samuel. There were days where chapel was held, and I learned how to navigate the Bible. I grew up learning that God loves me, Jesus died for me, and we must share His love. However, as I grew older I began to set aside my faith and focus on my social life, school, and family. Praying stopped crossing my mind and I no longer had this desire to attend church. It seemed as though I was growing up and growing away from God.
This past month has been full of struggles which has forced me to take a hard look at my life. I saw The Shack in theaters with my mom over spring break, and it hit home for me. The movie talked about the Holy Trinity and God’s love. It went into detail about concepts I grew up learning about and could probably teach. There were Bible verses said that I had memorized, stories told that I learned when I was younger. The movie reminded me of the things I had learned throughout my life, and it made me wonder, am I capable of doing this alone? I was reminded that yes, God made me a stubborn and resilient person, but that didn’t mean I have to be towards Him.
Last weekend solidified my faith and realization that He is omnipresent. Without Him so many situations could have ended tragically, and for the first time in months I was able to see a beautiful truth in a time of darkness. David writes about God’s presence writing, “Out of distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 118:5-6). This verse has struck a chord with me, allowing me to see that people are imperfect and full of sin. God isn’t, and so He will never leave my side and listen. That weekend I called to Him and prayed for the first time in months, and He answered.
I hope that whoever reads this knows that although life brings struggles and trials into our lives, that doesn’t mean God isn’t there. Some things aren’t meant for us to understand right now, and some lessons won’t be learned until way later. God’s love never ends and that is one of the most beautiful thoughts in the world.
