Keeping in mind the previous questions, here are some practical ideas to guide you in your spiritual search:
- Ask God to reveal Himself if you're not sure He's there.
- Read the Bible — start with the New Testament books of John, Acts, and Romans.
- Talk to people who display a genuine relationship with God — those who obviously love Him and who live by a different set of principles.
- Spend time in nature, observing and experiencing God's creation.
- Question things everybody seems to take for granted — be a lover of truth.
- Ask God-followers why they believe what they believe and how they know their beliefs are true.
- Recognize that following God must make sense: truth may go beyond reason, but not against it.
- Scour the shelves at a Christian bookstore or church library for credible authors, or ask your Christian friends for a list of authors who have inspired them in their walk with God.
- Write down your questions, especially about what you read in the Bible, and take them to a knowledgeable Christian who respects your seeking process.
- Know your presuppositions — the things you already believe — and try not to let them interfere with your quest for the truth.
- Stay open to actually finding what you're looking for; fear of commitment and change can keep you from finding the truth.
- Keep a journal of your thoughts and feelings during your search.
- Know your personal issues; your past will profoundly influence your present ability to be objective.
- Remember that you don't have to know everything to know something.
- Determine to seek for a specific period of time, and continually evaluate your progress. Then try to reach an appropriate conclusion.
The preceding materials on becoming a Christian are borrowed, with our deepest gratitude, from the website of Willow Creek Community Church, South Barrington, Illinois. |