I don’t want to use scare tactics or be overdramatic, but I’m going to say something frightening: for many college students (including me when I was a college student), Christmas break is the worst time of the year for their walk with the Lord. Isn’t that tragic? During the time of the year set aside to commemorate Jesus’ amazing birth, many of us stray the farthest from God we will be all year.
It’s worthwhile to ask why this happens, so that we can make sure this season is one of spiritual fruit and growth. I think the two main reasons are isolation and laziness; thus, we need to make sure we head home for the holidays this year with “Fellowship” and “Diligence” on the top of our wish-lists.
Here are (what I hope are) some practical steps we can take to be diligent and in fellowship with other believers this December:
1. Spend time with God daily.
It sounds so easy. We spend time with God regularly during the schoolyear, so why wouldn’t that naturally carry over to the break? I’ll tell you why: during the schoolyear, we go to Cru every Wednesday, small group once a week, church every Sunday, and spend time with Christians just about every day. If you take away the support system of consistent fellowship, one of the first things to disappear is daily time spent alone with God. So we have to take the initiative and plan to spend time in the Word and prayer every day! If you want some ideas of what to read or pray about during these times, this website should be helpful:
2. Come to RADIATE09
Oh my gosh. If Jon mentions Radiate one more time, we’re all going to beat the crap out of him, right?! Wrong (at least I hope). For all the info on this, just scroll down and read Jason’s most recent blog entry. The only thing I’ll add is this – this is the most practical way for many of us to make sure we have fellowship in our lives over the break. Unless your family does daily devotions (some do), you’re just not going to get this kind of awesome Christian community at home.
3. If you are about to graduate (or transfer) this spring, multiply!
If this spring will be your last semester in school, don’t you want to make the most of it spiritually? One way you can do this is to look for one or two non-seniors that you can “disciple.” If you’ve never done this, just ask me, Jason, Maria, Kirstin, or a student who’s been on a summer project how to do it. The first step will be to approach the one or two students you have in mind and ask if they’d like to meet you on a weekly basis. During this time you can talk about life, teach them from the Bible, do ministry together, and pray! Doesn’t that sound awesome!?
4. Find fellowship during break
So this is obviously the theme of this blog entry. To reiterate the point one final time, if you try to live the Christian life in isolation, you will probably experience failure and disappointment, because the Christian life was meant to be lived in fellowship with others. How can you make fellowship happen if you don’t have an actively Christian family or church at home? I’m not sure, which is probably why my school breaks have been the worst times for me spiritually. But some ideas are: go to church anyway; set up phone dates with your Christian friends; share your faith with your family and friends at home; go to RADIATE09 (last plug, I promise).
Well, I hope this list will help you walk with God while you’re home for Christmas. If you’d like more ideas about how to grow in your faith over the break, please feel free to talk to me. As with any advice you receive in life, this list will help you a lot more if you write down, right this instant, actual ways you are going to implement it. If you just think, “Hmm, interesting, I should do some of that,” well… you probably won’t. I’m just speaking from experience.
Merry Christmas:
The angel said to [the shepherds], "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
Jon
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