Spiritual Wellness
"Whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6:6).
Are you trying to find some subtle ways to show your Christian faith? Are you perhaps even a little intimidated and worried about what other people might think of you? The first thing to do is to remember that it is not other people's place to judge you. Your faith is between you and God. Christian expressions of faith are often spiritually motivated by quotes from Jesus. For example, Christian men and women are often not readily identifiable because Jesus told his followers that: "Whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6:6).
Do these words mean that Christians should never express their faith? Not exactly. Jesus is extolling his followers not to show off their piety in an attempt to look better or holier than someone else. This doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with getting people interested in your faith or simply wanting others to respect your beliefs. However, there are some wrong ways and right ways to do it.
The Wrong Way to Show Your Faith
You are never going to get anyone interested in Christianity by acting as if your faith makes you better than they are. You are definitely blessed to know the love of God, but also reminded by Him to remain humble and work on yourself first. Try not to preach to people. Offer them your ear, your shoulder, and your advice, but do not wave your Bible in their faces. You will be reinforcing negative stereotypes and likely will not be making many friends along the way!
The Right Ways to Show Your Faith
There are, of course, many different ways to show your Christian faith, but if you need some ideas, then here are some things you can do.
1) Live according to your faith
The best way to show your Christian faith is simply to live according to it. Try to cultivate the love and peace that God wants for you. Remain calm in stressful situations, show understanding, and practice patience. Before long, people will wonder what provides such peace and stability in your life.
2) Stick firmly to your beliefs
Along with living according to your faith comes the need to stick to your beliefs, even in the face of social pressure. Once again, there is no need to act condescending or holier-than-thou; you just need to explain your actions. For example, if you want to attend mass, then feel free to let people know that this is why you cannot go out.
3) Wear a cross necklace
A cross necklace is a great way to let people know about your Christian faith in a subtle but powerful manner. A small and tasteful cross can be worn almost anywhere and used for any occasion.
4) Pray
Jesus extolled the virtues of praying privately rather than out in public in an effort to show off your piety. While this is definitely the way prayer is intended to be done, you should also feel secure enough to, for example, pray before a meal even if you happen to be out and about. Do not worry about showing off or about what others may think of you.
5) Learn to forgive
Finally, one of the best outward signifiers of a true Christian is having the ability to show forgiveness. You do not have to be a pushover, but you can learn to forgive and forget when the situation calls for it. Do not hold grudges, and do not drag conflicts out for any longer than necessary.
Spiritual Prayer
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, You are very great! You are clothed with honor and majesty, covering Yourself with light as a garment, who stretches out the heavens like a tent curtain, who lays the upper beams of His chambers on the waters above, who makes the clouds His chariot, who rides upon the wings of the wind, who makes His angels as winds, His ministers a flaming fire.
You laid the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved. You covered it with the deep as a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. At Your rebuke they fled; at the sound of Your thunder they departed away. The mountains rose up; the valleys went down to the place that You appointed them. You set a boundary that they may not pass over, that they may not again cover the earth.
You send the springs to gush forth in the valleys, which flow between the hills. They give drink to every animal of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. By them the birds of the heavens have their habitation; they sing among the branches. You water the mountains from Your lofty chamber; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works. You cause the grass to grow for the cattle and plants for the cultivation of man, that he may bring forth food from the earth and wine that makes glad the heart of man, and oil that makes shine his face, and bread that strengthens his heart. The trees of the Lord are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that He has planted, where the birds make their nests, where the stork has its home in the fir trees. The high mountains are for the wild goats, and the rocks a refuge for the badgers.
He set the moon to mark the appointed seasons; the sun knows its time for going down. You make darkness, and it is night, when all the animals of the forest go forth. The young lions roar after their prey and seek their food from God. When the sun arises, they gather themselves together and lay down in their dens. Man goes forth to his work and to his labor until the evening.
O Lord, how manifold are Your works! With wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures—so is this great and wide sea, which is full of innumerable creatures, living animals both small and great. There go the ships, and there is Leviathan, which You have made to play in it.
These all wait upon You, that You may give them their food in due season. When You give it to them, they gather it; when You open Your hand, they are filled with good food. When You hide Your face, they are troubled; You take away their breath, and they die and return to their dust. When You send forth Your Spirit, they are created, and You renew the surface of the ground.
May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in His works. He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smoke. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. May my meditation be sweet to Him, for I will be glad in the Lord. Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Praise the Lord!