“For You have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. From birth, I have relied on You. You brought me forth from my mother’s womb.” Ps 71:5,6
Sincerely Serving
Before I walked away from the God of religion, I was faithfully going through all the “right” motions, doing everything I had been taught to serve Him wholeheartedly. I had been told what He expected of me, and I was determined to do it to the best of my ability. Despite my sincere desire to please Him, an emptiness remained.
I was exhausted from working hard to serve God through my actions, trying to be godly without relying on Jesus—unaware that I could never be enough without the covering of Christ’s blood. Jesus’ words in John 15:5, “… apart from Me, you can do nothing,” were just words from a memory verse.
Although I had learned about Jesus, I knew nothing about experiencing Him. Using my previous snorkeling analogy; nobody had told me that there was more than the beach, encouraged me to dive into the water, or provided me with the proper gear. I grew up in a religious culture that taught me to trust those around me because that was how things were and how they had been passed down. But I wasn’t truly living. I had yet to discover Jesus as the only way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).
“Jesus answered: Don’t you know Me . . . even after I have been among you such a long time?” John 14:9
Using Shortcuts
Reflecting on my past with a clearer perspective, I realize I used religion as a shortcut. I tried to rely on the doctrine given to me to please God. This pursuit aimed to achieve salvation through obedience rather than recognizing my need for grace and a Savior. With this religious shortcut, I bypassed a genuine relationship with the Father, which can only be established by accepting the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. Furthermore, this religious shortcut neglected the reality of experiencing the Kingdom of God in the present through life in the Holy Spirit.
Discovery
By focusing my attention on the unaltered Word of God rather than on religious rules, God has opened my eyes to see who He truly is. This has required a significant level of openness and surrendering my beliefs. It has demanded a willingness to let go of what I once considered the truth to embrace the words found in the Bible. To discover God, I have had to accept that I do not fully understand who He is. I’ve learned that the only way to see Him is to approach Him with humility and a desire to know Him alone, through Jesus.
“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31
Making Jesus Lord
I have learned that if we are committed to being disciples of Jesus, we cannot follow anyone else. Elevating anyone’s words above the Word of God turns them into an idol. As I began to recognize this, I saw how idolatry had impacted my life. I knew the teachings of my church, but I didn’t know them from the Word of God. As I began to seek, I realized I held many beliefs, but I couldn’t articulate them beyond reciting what I had been told. I didn’t know the Holy Spirit as my only teacher (John 14:26).
If you are in a place where you have never questioned what you were raised to believe, and you continue to go through the motions faithfully, I can relate—I was there. But perhaps, like I did, you sense that something deeper and more life-giving is waiting to be uncovered. Something feels amiss, and I encourage you to consider that maybe God isn’t who you think He is.
Consider
I am not asking you to renounce your religion but rather to release it as a distraction from personally discovering God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Too often, the shortcuts created by religion lead us to follow a set of rules and doctrines based on the founder’s interpretation of scripture, causing many of us to follow without seeking God for ourselves. My purpose in writing this is to encourage you to personally discover Jesus through a simple shift in perspective that can transform everything!
I want to be the voice of a friend encouraging you not to settle for religious complacency but to develop your faith by seeking God through Jesus and nothing else. Bowing at the foot of the Cross every day in surrender is where we begin to experience life to the fullest (John 10:10)! Grow from your roots and lean into all that God has in store for you.
“The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” John 6:63
Waking Up
It wasn’t until I acknowledged my frustration and dissatisfaction that I could leave behind the only God I had known to discover a God I could truly experience. Stepping away opened me to new perspectives, an authentic life, and freedom in Jesus. By letting go of the pretense that I had it all figured out, I am learning to be taught by the Spirit. And He has revealed to me that it’s only in God’s Word that I discover who He is.
I now understand what Paul meant when he said in Romans 7:6: “But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.” When we surrender everything to God, including our beliefs about who He is, we begin to live the life He created us for.
Discovering Purpose
In 1646, The Westminster Shorter Catechism recorded this question, “What is the chief end of man?” I love the answer: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” From this perspective, every moment becomes an opportunity to reflect Jesus’ purpose: “that the world may know that I love the Father and I do exactly what my Father has commanded me…” (John 14:31).
Whether you’re searching for a God you don’t yet know or building on lifelong roots, keep seeking Him. Seeking God involves creating space for quietness and stillness and dedicating our time and energy to pursuing Him through His Word. As you listen for Him more, you will begin to recognize the tones of His voice. Life will start to feel less overwhelming, and you will begin to walk in anticipation of discovering the most authentic version of yourself as you come to know the One who created you. Here, you will find your purpose.
Come on!
Join me on this adventure, and God will not disappoint you! Start with ten to fifteen minutes daily in His Word. In my last post, I mentioned a Bible reading plan for the gospels; that’s a great starting point. When you’re ready to dive deeper, I’m using this Bible reading plan that guides readers through the entire Bible in a year. Of course, the specific plan you choose doesn’t matter; what truly matters is dedicating time to reading the Bible. It’s the only way to discover the realness of God for yourself. If you’re not doing this already, today is the perfect day to begin!
I can relate to every lyric of this song, listen here…🎶