Grief Bites: Finding Treasure In HardshipsSample

A Christianity that is alive. Isn't that what we truly all want in the depth of our hearts? It can be easy during times of loss to lose a once close relationship with the Lord. When we go through loss, it becomes much easier to become distracted. Just the typical emotions that result from loss...discouragement, anger, depression, worry, anxiety, frustration, feeling betrayed, etc...can damage our fellowship with the Lord. It is vital to make God our #1 priority during times of loss and grief. Only He can truly guide us through a loss or grief experience where we make it to the other side of the experience in better shape. The worst thing that can happen during times of loss or grief is to reject or neglect our relationship with God. The next worst thing is to have a stale, mediocre, or deadened relationship with Him. Depending on the severity of your loss or situation, this can be difficult at times...especially if you feel as though you can't feel God's presence. If your relationship with God has grown stale or cold, how do you get it back? By choice...and one step at a time. You have to choose to go after God and pursue Him with all your heart. You have to choose to read His Word everyday. It is a choice to have a close relationship with the Lord. And as we draw close to Him, He draws close to us. Eventually, we develop a very strong relationship with Him. His love is extravagant and He will be found by anyone who seeks Him with their whole heart. Once you draw close to Him, you will find the very best relationship you could ever hope to find here on earth. His love is alive. He makes us alive. He causes His Word to come alive. Our relationships with others become more alive. Our ministry becomes more alive. Our life purpose and our normal "everyday" days become more alive. And that is the goal...to have our Christianity come to life! Once we feel the presence and love of God, our entire heart and the world around us takes on a whole new meaning. We become alive for Him...and He then can mightily use us to be "life" to others.