People always say to never bring up religion or politics at a dinner party. No matter what, you are destined to get in way over your head and no one will walk away happy. In a lot of ways, I think faith tends to fall along the same lines. It’s personal. It’s private. And it’s something that people don’t tend to talk about in “polite” circles. And for some reason, it seems to always get pushed to the bottom of the to-do list. However, finding time for faith, especially when you have a chronic illness, can really benefit our emotional health.
Finding time for faith is very difficult
Finding time to really get in touch with God can be particularly difficult. The combination of fatigue, pain, and anxiety keeps me away from church on Sundays more often than I’d like to admit. Getting ready, gathering up the kids, and keeping them attentive for the whole Mass feels daunting before we even make it out the door.
Does God play a role in our pain?
Not only that, but sometimes it can be very difficult and emotionally draining to reconcile our beliefs with the challenges of living with a chronic illness. In the middle of the night, when awakened by pain, it’s easy to question God and the role He plays in our pain.
Finding time for faith with the demands of everyday life
Even if you don’t have a chronic illness, the demands of everyday life can make it so very hard to squeeze in moments of faith and reflection. Quiet times when you aren’t fighting for your sanity or squeezing in a million different things are few and far between for sure. Life is full of the interruptions of cell phones and the distractions of daily life.
It occured to me a few weeks ago that in my entire nearly (ahem) 40 years that I have never once, not a single time, read the Bible cover to cover. I’ve always been an avid reader, and yet when it comes to the most widely read book of all time, I’ve never fully read it. Yes, I’ve been blessed with an extensive Catholic education and a solid faith-filled foundation but I have never sat down and opened the Bible, just to read it for the book it was intended to be. Crazy! I know.
Bible Journaling for your faith
It may take me a whole year, but I’ve decided that even with everything going on, it is important to take time, even if just a few minutes a day to read the Bible. I’ve found a fantastic journaling bible with plenty of room in the margins for notes and journaling. I will be finding time for faith. Just a little every day if necessary, but I will do it. It may take forever, but that’s okay, I’ll find the time.
Wanna join me on this journey?
Have you ever read the Bible? I mean, really read it cover to cover? No? Well, how about you join me on this little journey. Grab a Bible, some pens and markers, and let’s roll!
Are you in?
~Leanne
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Such an important topic! And it really does make a difference to how you experience whatever life throws at you. I found that listening to an audio Bible was the easiest and quickest way to get through the whole Bible. It suddenly all made sense as I could see how everything was connected, how the generations flowed down all the way to Jesus… An amazing journey. This is such an honest post. Thank you for sharing.