Growing for a better future

BY SARAH SCHMIDT

The longer I worked in my law enforcement career, the unhappier I became. At the end of my law enforcement career, I decided to retire for many reasons, but the #1 reason was because every day I fought against myself in becoming disgruntled.

All the evil I dealt with in my career changed me. It changed the way I related to and treated people; it changed how I trusted people, and it changed my outlook on life in negative ways.

I have believed in and KNOWN God my entire life. I went to church every Sunday I was off work. I prayed every day…mostly for my life, my family, my career, and my life goals. I flipped open my Bible every day and read the first verse I saw…many times, I didn’t understand the Bible verses because I didn’t spend enough time reading it.

I did not always place God at the forefront of my life…simply because my life was all about me.

I never GREW more as a Christian while I worked in my law enforcement career because I didn’t KNOW then that there was more to the Christian life other than KNOWING God exists.

But there is more to the Christian faith than just KNOWING God. The next step is even more important because this is where our hurts begin to heal, our weaknesses begin to strengthen, and we learn that life isn’t about us.

When we GROW in our faith, we can find happiness in the difficult times of our lives. Isaiah 43:2 (NLT) writes about this promise from God, “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.”

In the last few years after retiring from law enforcement, I have become much happier. I am not happier because I no longer work in the law enforcement profession. I am happier now because I have GROWN exponentially in my faith.

How did I GROW, you might ask? For me, my faith GREW by starting a prayer journal, praying for others, praying with others, getting involved in small groups at our church, serving at church, and studying the entire Bible.

I pray that you, too, not just KNOW God, but you GROW in God for a happier life and a more purpose-driven future.