Before moving off to college I was very involved in my home church. It was just natural for me to be involved. For a while I was in the choir, helped in the nursery, helped with summer camps, was in every church drama, and eventually became a youth leader. I was able to start a bible study for youth girls with a friend of mine as well. I was heavily involved in many aspects of the church. I never thought twice about everything I took on. It brought me close to the amazing, godly friends I met through all the time spent at church. How could it not? I felt like I was at church with them seven days a week. The amazing thing was that it never felt like a chore or a job. I thoroughly loved spending all my time at church serving the Lord. Not only was God using me but the time there brought me so many blessings. The biggest being the friends I made. I had finally found a core group of friends that were rooted in the Bible. We held each other accountable the way we are called to and I was happier than I had ever been.
Then I moved off to college. I was not happy about having to leave my church home and the best friends in the world. I genuinely did not see how it would turn out okay. I joined a church in my college town that was very similar to my home church. There was so much comfort in that. The only negative was that the church was much bigger. This made it harder to get connected to everyone and feel like an actual part of the church. Not too long after being in college I became disconnected from church and God. I was attending church, but something just did not feel right. I knew that I had been slipping away from my relationship with God, but it was almost a numbness. I had no idea where it was coming from. I felt numb to the church, to the message, and to God. Something was missing, I just seriously could not figure out what it was. I gave up on asking the question of what was happening to me. I allowed myself to continue slipping out of my relationship with God until there was not even a feeling that He was with me anymore. I knew He still was, but I could not feel His presence because I was so far from Him. It was so scary for me to experience. In the back of my mind I knew part of the problem, but was not ready to let go or allow myself to believe it.
After about a year it was brought to my attention what the problem might be. I was not involved in my new home church at all. I went on Sundays, but that was it. I had been so involved at my home church, but was extremely disconnected at my new church. I had spent countless hours with my friends in church, serving God weekly back home. I went from that to only stepping foot in the church for a couple hours on Sundays. I was not even going every Sunday. I did not realize the pain the change had placed on me. It went as far as harming my relationship with God. I am aware of other situations and reasons that hurt those as well, but this reason majorly stuck out. It stuck out because we do not realize exactly how important it is to get involved in your church. I am not talking about going on Sundays, but actually having a hand in the church.
I decided it was time for me to find a way to get involved. I wanted to see what it would do for me and my relationship with God. I began leading the Cubbies on Wednesday evenings at Awana. I immediately began seeing a difference in me. I met so many new people of all ages. This was exactly what was missing. A connection to those in the church and a way for me to serve God in the church. My disconnection from God was far from being fixed, but this decision made a difference. It caused me to be in the Word again and to be able to learn from others. it also brought about relationships with people from within the church that I could count on. I finally felt connected to the church I had become a part of.
I cannot stress the importance of involvement in church enough. I am not meaning that if you are not involved in your church that you will, or have lost, your relationship with God. I am just stressing this for those who are like me. Whose spiritual gifts can be used to serve directly in the church you attend. If you can, start small, if you are scared to begin big like leading a class. Leaders get excited when people are searching for a way to be involved in the church. Even if this is not exactly something you are interested in, there is always a place for you in church. Even if it looks more like you joining a Sunday school class or a life group to get more connected. You do not have to be any kind of leader to be connected in the church. that is just a gift God gave me. Your gifts may be different. No matter what your gifts are, utilize them within the church. Get plugged in and connected. God wants to use you within the church. It helped me find joy, friends, and my relationship with God again.
Pray about what getting involved and connected in church looks like for you. Pray for God to open those doors and He will.
Kokonaomi
