The shallowness of modern Christianity.

Christianity of today is not authentic Christianity. Most Christians live lives that are worldly and empty but this world- with all its pleasures and attractions- has nothing of value to offer because the human soul can only be fulfilled by eternity since it was created to be eternal. Most Christians are unhappy, disillusioned, and disconnected. They pretend to have it all together but are rather confused and lonely inside. I am highly aware of this crisis. Modern day Christianity has become like a faded, distant sound of what used to be the powerful voice of Christianity. The Christians of ages past possessed divine qualities and that is why their voices are still heard today through the books they have left behind. We have become accustomed to shallow Christianity and most of us are simply okay with it. We have replaced the true joy and fulfillment that can only be found in Christ with the world’s counterfeit version of satisfaction- entertainment of the flesh. That is why most Christians spend precious hours of their days watching worldly movies, reading mindless Facebook posts, reading ungodly books or magazines, and the list goes on. And you are what you do. True fulfillment can only be found in Christ. It is never to be found in the things of this world. There was a period of my life when even though I was aware of my need for authentic Christian living and I sought God for extended periods of time every day- my life was still filled with confusion, dissatisfaction, and chaos. Little did I know that those exact characteristics are the very tools God uses in order to draw us to Himself so He can transform us from fleshly Christians into true followers of Christ. Today, I realize that God’s desire was for me to come out of the valley of dry bones and to live on the heights of spiritual abundance but it wasn’t going to happen without a transformation. Just like the nation of Israel was in God’s ‘training’ on their journey towards the Promised Land- we too, are on a similar journey. Christians of today do not understand Christ’s desire for our lives to die to ourselves and they are not willing to let go of their ego, their desires, and their rights. So many people call themselves Christians, yet when you look at their lives there is so much selfishness and shallow living. They live for this world and not for eternity. Yes, everyone looks and acts like a saint on Sundays, but if you were to see them more often, in their day to day lives, you would probably be shocked by the their words, attitudes, and way of life. They do not understand that Christ calls us to deny ourselves and the whole Bible should be preached from the pulpit. To deny oneself means to continually offer your heart, mind, body- your very life to God in true surrender in order to allow Him to live in and through you. It means living a life of purity and love. It’s not enough to live a life that is a little bit better than your coworkers or neighbors and call yourself Christian- Christianity is rather a radical abandonment to the One who abandoned heaven in order to be made human and to die a shameful death for our sins. True Christianity is not for the lukewarm, stagnant Christian. It is for those who flee from any kind of temptation, confess even the smallest offense, love even those that spit in their faces, and spend every possible moment with their mind fixed on God. They have crucified their flesh, with all it’s shallow desires- pride, jealousy, anger, discontentment, idolatry and the like. They no longer live for themselves but for God. If you want to escape the emptiness of shallow living and to find the truest fulfillment then abandon yourself to God and seek Him every moment of every day. It might seem impossible at the moment but you will soon find that He draws near to those who draw near to Him and will surely fill your life with His breathtaking presence. You were made to be the salt of the earth and a bright light for the display of His glory! Don’t settle anymore.