If you were like me, you always accompanied your parents to church. You were always told that Jesus loves you, even singing the very song. As you got a little older, you were told to always stand up for Jesus, stand up for your beliefs. You are told to fight your temptations, to say “No” in the face of Satan, to constantly ask yourself, “What would Jesus do?”.
I didn’t go through this next stage, but I watched many of my friends, many of the people I knew go through this next stage, and that was the rebellion. Friends that were tired of being told the same things over and over again. People that felt forced into religion, not accepting Christ as their own Heavenly Father. This stage unfortunately can last a little too long, especially with the wrong guidance and relationships at this time.
I am thankful to say that quite a number of my friends who started in the church have returned to the church. Although they may have deviated for awhile, the verse holds true. Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it”.
Sometimes I look at little children and admire their naivety; their ability to know black and white what is wrong. The kids who are EXCITED to go to visit Jesus in His house that they’ve learned He’s preparing for us. Kids are excited about Jesus, excited about His miracles, excited about getting to live with Him. What happened to us adults? Where did our excitement go? I don’t know about you, but I want to be excited about Jesus like that! I want to just look forward with absolute impatience of going to my Father’s house. I want to scream that I love Jesus from the top of my lungs while jumping on my bed (well, maybe I’m too old to jump on the bed… but still). I want to stand up for Jesus in the face of Satan no matter what! I want Satan to grow tired from my lack of response to his old tactics. I want to be an indestructible child of God, just as I watch the little children fearlessly love Jesus with all their hearts. Sometimes we need to learn from them!
Calm in Christ and Fitness 