I have been a Christian all of my life. I went to an Episcopal church on a regular basis (my grandfather was a bishop). I went to a Presbyterian school through sixth grade. I was in a Catholic youth group and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. I've been on Christian retreats and have participated in numerous Bible studies. Yet still, I did not have the knowledge or skills to truly practice my religion. And I didn't really understand what kind of relationship I had with God. One of the main reasons for this is that traditional Christian worship services I participated in were mostly irrelevant to my life experiences, as they use centuries-old liturgies; the Nicene Creed is about 1700 years old. Additionally, so much of the message was about how not to behave (more on that at a later date). I had almost no exposure to spiritual disciplines besides basic prayer.
As an adult, I began to meet many people who were raised in the Christian church, but did not seem to be engaged in any Christian practices. In fact, they were seeking spiritual fulfillment outside of the church – studying other religions and philosophies. Then one day, a friend started talking about the Law of Attraction. I was intrigued, because I didn't feel like I had much control of my life. So I picked up a copy of The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. It's an excellent book, and it led me to a deeper understanding of my Christian faith, even though it's technically not a Christian book. After The Secret, I started hearing about other New Age teachers, even seeing one, Dr. Wayne Dyer, several times on PBS.
As my friends were delving into these “non-Christian” teachings (as well as Eastern religions like Buddhism) I was struck by a major irony. The essence of the Law of Attraction is Christian Scripture. In fact, The Secret quotes the gospel books of Matthew and Mark. By the way, similar concepts were expressed in 1952 by the Reverend Dr. Norman Vincent Peale in his book The Power of Positive Thinking.
This realization led me to begin a more thorough study of these “non-Christian” practices and philosophies, as well as the teachings of Jesus. I discovered methods of faith, prayer and meditation that have given me a more meaningful understanding of what it means to be a Christian. I now feel like have have practical tools to use on a daily basis to stimulate my spiritual growth and deepen my relationship with God. Hopefully I can share some insights that will help you gain a new perspective of Christianity, so that you can actively pursue a more meaningful spiritual life.
