What does it mean to Own your Faith?
If you’re like me, you have grown up in a christian home, went to church, and was surrounded by God wherever you went. When I was growing up, I didn’t know anything different from Christianity. I knew all of the stories of the Bible, and I knew that God loved me. But, when I was growing up my relationship with Christ was not personal, it was inherited. I inherited my belief in God from my parents, which is often times what happens. Inheriting your faith is not a bad thing when you are growing up, but there is a time in everyone’s life when inherited faith is not enough.
Throughout highschool I had been involved in youth groups, ministry programs, church events, christian school; these things were expected of me and I honestly liked being a part of them. But even doing that my relationship with Jesus was never personal. I only had a relationship with Jesus when other people were there. I never read my bible outside of the various programs that I was attending. I rarely prayed more than I needed to. And why would I? I was surrounded by Christianity 24/7. I convinced myself that was enough. My relationship with Christ was good, so why make it personal? Once I got to college, my outlook on my relationship with Christ changed. I was around people who were so in love with Christ that their relationships with Christ were nothing but personal. They challenged me to make my relationship with Christ my own, and spend time in His Word everyday. They were on fire for Christ, and I finally realized why. They were owning their faith. Reading the Word everyday, pouring out their hearts in prayer, spending countless times in fellowship and with other believers. To them Christ wasnt just inherited, it was theirs.
Inheriting faith from your parents is never a bad thing, but inherited faith is not enough for us. God deserves a personal and intimate relationship. The Bible is our only offensive weapon in the armor of God. We need to read God’s word and study it for what we believe it to mean, rather than what others believe it to mean. Take the personal time to get to know our Lord through reading and prayer. Own your Faith!
