Dear Aunt Dara,
I am 20 years old, and
I have been a Christian since I was little. My relationship with Jesus has gradually
increased over the years, and it is the most important part of my life today. I love reading Christian books, listening to
podcasts and sermons, journaling my prayers, listening to worship music, and
having Bible studies with others. I love
these things so much that it feels abnormal sometimes.
My parents and friends
are also Christians, but they don't seem to desire God the way that I do. In fact, I would consider my parents
"strong Christians!" I just
feel like I love pursuing God more than the people around me do, and it's
confusing to me. I question and doubt if
my experiences are even real because I feel like I don't know anyone close to
me whose faith is as strong as mine. It's
like I have to tone myself down sometimes when talking to people and giving
advice to not come across as some weirdo Jesus freak. I guess I just enjoy praying, worshipping,
and learning about God more than the people around me. I crave the feeling of being close to Him. Is
that normal??
I don't write this to
sound self-righteous at all—I just feel isolated sometimes because it seems
that no one around me desires Jesus as I do. I mean, I literally listen to sermons for fun
almost every day, and I feel like that sounds super boring to other people. People I follow on social media seem to love
Jesus as much as I do, but I am not close to anyone in real life whose faith is
so important to them. I am scared that I
won't be able to find a husband who loves Jesus just as much as I do. I don't really know exactly what I'm asking
you, but I just want to know your thoughts on this. Have you ever felt this way? What should I do?
Thanks.
Sincerely,
Feeling Alone in my
Faith
Dear Feeling Alone,
Thanks for writing me and trusting me with your
situation. You ask if you are
normal. The answer is yes. What you are observing and experiencing is
the difference between the carnal mind and the spiritual mind. Those like yourself who are more spiritually
minded will be more spiritually mature and will naturally be attracted to things
that feed the spirit. Whereas, those who
are less spiritually mature will have a tendency to be more carnally minded and
thus think it strange that you are not like they are. You have nothing to worry about if you prefer
listening to sermons, having Bible studies, praying, etc. Keep doing what you are doing and God will
send you someone in the future who will be a perfect match for you to marry.
God bless,
Aunt Dara
