the raw truth about life as a believer....

1 Corinthians 2:2 "For i resolved to know nothing while i was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified"
Paul had arrived in a really metropolitan city to try and support the fledgling church there - to give them a refresher on how to live as God's people. They needed a reminder, as i do, that life as a believer isn't about throwing our weight around, gaining positions of influence, of making progress or of having 'success' as the world sees it, anyway. He boiled it down to that one simple statement that rocks me to my core! (verse above..)
nothing else. Not clever jokes or witty conversation. Nothing but the wonder of Christ. What does that even look like?
From reading more of this section, it appears that Paul wanted their hearts and minds so enraptured (awe-struck) by Christ on a continual basis that nothing else would even come close to amazing them. That sounds all but impossible to us with our greater tendency to be awed by a sport's teams progress, by a new technological breakthrough- or perhaps a medical one. Have we become such cynics that nothing but physical items can amaze us? (and yet those shows about ghosts, mediums etc exist and tell us that something deeper is calling us- some hunger we've almost forgotten about for 'someone' to be out there beyond our taste-see-touch- and-hear world) but i digress....
For me, i've noticed that God seems more real, solid and powerful when i MAKE time to read his Word. When i read about his pushing back a huge lake so a million people could walk through...now that's power! Or when Elijah stands on the mount Carmel having "showdown day" with the prophets of Baal! God showed up in a truly remarkable way! those are historical facts. He is a historical, real God. Invest the time in learning about him and getting to know Him so he can become more real in your heart and mind. Let the HOly Spirit bring your imagination to life as you read!!
THen, when distractions come- troubles which inevitably come - you have 'built your house upon the Rock" and will be able to weather the storm in HIS power.
"Above all else, guard you rheart, for it is the wellspring of life" PRov 4:23