Recently, I facilitated training in church. As I got into the subject of fellowshipping with God, I asked the people; “How do you feel when you don’t study your Bible in a day?” As expected, most of them responded that they feel guilty. I simply told them; “You should not feel guilty. You should feel hungry!”
Friend, studying the Bible is not just a religious activity. It is life (Proverbs 4:20-22). You don’t study the Bible or fellowship with God to fulfil all righteousness. You do so to sustain the life of God in you. Ideally, you don’t feel guilty for not taking breakfast or lunch. You only feel hungry. If you don’t feel hungry, it may mean that you are sick (Mark 6:31).
Notice how Jesus compared physical bread to the meal of the word of God, and you would understand that import and implication of feeding on the word of God (Luke 4:4). The word of God if not for cosmetics. It is not meant to be used to preach only. It is meant to be lived by. It is what guarantees strength and sustenance in the Christian race and in life generally (Psalms 119:28).
Guilt is never from God. It is either from the devil or from your religious or traditional mindset (John 14:16, 26). Thus, feeling guilty for not praying or fellowshipping with God is a strategy of the devil to keep you perpetually away from God. This is why the writer of Hebrews admonished us to come boldly (Hebrews 4:15-16). God wants us to approach Him without guilt but with the assurance of unconditional acceptance.
You need to put value on the word of God. This is the major secret of a robust Bible study life and sound fellowship with God (Job 23:12, Psalms 119:103). If you realise that you cannot do without God for a second, you would prioritise Him more than you prioritise oxygen. God is more important than oxygen. If you have not yet seen it this way in your Christian journey, you would keep trivialising your relationship with God.
Your spiritual health is determined by your feeding as well as your response to stimuli (Revelation 3:1). If you don’t feel hungry or respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit, it is proof that you are not healthy. The way to culture your spirit to engage God’s word and respond to the Holy Spirit daily is to stay close to people and places where the word of God and the operations of the Holy Spirit are constantly emphasised (Psalms 1:1-3, Acts 6:4).
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Chu