Teresa of Avila, a Carmelite nun who lived during the 1500s, once wrote that “all difficulties in prayer can be traced to one cause: praying as if God were absent.” I think that short sentence applies to our spiritual life. When we live with the idea that God is absent — that He exists but doesn’t care — it’s natural to feel disconnected from Him and to assume that we have to look out for ourselves, solve our own problems, and create our own future because no one else will. 

This is not a new belief. Jesus confronted it head-on in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:31-33). 

That doesn’t mean you should just sit around and wait for God to drop food and clothes from the sky. You still have to study and work hard at whatever He is leading you to do. It means that you can trust Him to have your best interest at heart. When you let God be God, you can relax and enjoy pursuing His plan for you.

Lt. Colonel Lesa Davis, Alexandria, VA

How can I build authentic Christian friendships in a world that feels so disconnected?

One of the most challenging transitions I’ve ever experienced was when I moved from the College for Officer Training, where I lived in close community with all my session mates and friends, to my first appointment, where it was up to me to build my own community of friends. A few months into this move, I decided to be bold and start a spiritual formation group consisting of a handful of young women that attended my corps (church). I invited them to my house on Sunday evenings for a meal, fellowship, and Bible study. I remember feeling so nervous as I cleaned, cooked, and prepared the space for them. I’m introverted and not great at small talk. What if it is awkward? What if I bore them? What if they don’t come back next Sunday night? To my surprise, none of my fears came to pass. It took us no time at all to share our burdens, to celebrate our victories, and most vital to our spiritual formation, to laugh until we cried. 

One week, my grandmother visited and attended one of these gatherings. At the end of it, she shared with me that what we had going on in my little apartment felt like a form of revival. We were all so different but connected in Christ and embraced by one another. 

How can you build authentic Christian friendships in this very disconnected and digital world? Just open the door, practice hospitality, and truly embrace the people the Lord leads into your life. All of us are craving real connection because the Lord created us for Him and for community. For believers, the Holy Spirit always meets us when we meet with one another and that leads to the perfect formula for revival.

Lt. Alison Hamilton, Lexington, NC