Creed Reflection-Better Late Than Never, Right?

Creed is always an emotional week. Everyone laughs, everyone cries, everyone has a good time, someone always loses their key. Although, this time, that someone would be me. *what's that sound? Oh, that's $25 going down the drain.* 

We stay up way too late, dance to funny songs, and eat way too much junk food. Usually because the food is, well, camp food. It's always a good time. All emotions and joking aside, though, we have to step back and see what happened spiritually. 

This year our topic was Assurance in Faith. We had some really great teachers to sit under and I walked away very assured. This year was more of a silent moving in my heart, instead of a very emotional response, which I think is better. For me, at least. 

I've seen so many people tweeting and updating their statuses saying how they never keep up with what they learned or experienced at Creed. That the week they get home they go right back to being their normal selves. Not changed in the least.

I think sometimes we get caught up in the emotional high that comes from being at camp and not really being able to escape hearing about Jesus. 'Forced' to do a quiet time. It just kind of all falls into place. But to me, the more important part is what we come away with and what we bring back home. 

We can cry every night, jump and dance in worship, know all the songs by heart by the end of the week, but if we don't daily remind ourselves what we learned..We'll never walk away truly changed. It's the invasive and uncomfortable stuff that happens, in the heart, that matters. 

Some people walk away really changed, some people walk away with the same dark secret they came with and go right back home to it. 

1 John 1:5-7 says "..God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." 

I don't know about you, but no where in that passage does it say "if you jump up and down and sing really loud at church camp, you are in fellowship with Jesus." So, as uncomfortable as it is, you have to rip away the surface and deal with what's underneath to really start to change. 

As much fun as this can be..

This...

And this...

And as much as I LOVE this sweet time every year...

Are we really focusing on this?

freefoto.com

Because in the end isn't that why we're here? 

To bring glory to Him?

Sure, it's hard. And seems impossible. But do you really think dying on a cross for someone else is any easier? When you did absolutely nothing to deserve it? Well, I don't know from experience..but I can guarantee it wasn't. We have a choice. We can walk away changed, or we can go back to our old ways. 

So I want to challenge you, and myself, with this: 

What have you been putting off that you know the Lord has been telling you to do? Whether it's to let go of a relationship that you know is bad for you, to reach out to someone who is hurting, to forgive someone that you've held a grudge against a day too long, or to turn away from that thing that captures your heart and takes your eyes off Jesus..I'm not really sure. But you are. 

So take the step and listen to what the Lord is doing in Your life. It's not gonna be easy, but He's not gonna let you down. I promise.

That's my challenge to you.

xKassiex