Last weekend, I attended UCR’s Asian American Christian Fellowship’s (AACF) Winter Retreat. The theme of the retreat was Diligence in Our Faith, based on the Bible verse Hebrews 6:10-12. This verse reminds us that God is just and fulfills His promises to those who persist in their faith. As college students, balancing faith, school, work, family, and other responsibilities is difficult. There will be peaks and valleys, but nevertheless, trusting in God has helped me find comfort and joy during feelings of uncertainty.
At first, I was not planning on attending Winter Retreat. Sharing a cabin and bathrooms has always made me uncomfortable. I like having my own room and taking my time to get ready. After praying over my initial plan of staying home, I felt God was telling me that I made the wrong decision, speaking to me through the people from my home church, whom I talked to during winter break. They encouraged me that retreats can be fruitful in spiritual growth and uniting as a Christian community. I am very blessed that I was able to attend Winter Retreat last minute, and even though I lacked sleep, I learned a lot about being more diligent in my faith and met more people in the fellowship.
Hearing the pastor’s messages, doing morning devotions, and having small group discussions allowed me to examine where my faith was at and see where God is calling me. Reflecting and praying over what I learned, I realized that I was not always being persistent in prayer. There were times when I did not place my trust in God, but rather tried to rely on my own strength. There were also times when I did not show God’s love, patience, or forgiveness to others.
Winter Retreat also encouraged me to step outside of my comfort zone. Being diligent in your faith means persevering through all circumstances, even those that make you uncomfortable. For me, those situations at Winter Retreat were sharing a room/bathroom, praying out loud, and sharing about my spiritual growth from retreat during the open mic session. Sharing personal information during the open mic session was terrifying. When I got up, I was shaking and on the verge of crying. I was scared that I wasn’t going to be able to breathe. As an introvert, my instinct was to sit down and hide, but I took a short time to gather my thoughts and quietly pray over-sharing. Once I started talking, the shaking slowed down a little, and I was able to get through what God was calling me to say. Afterward, I felt grateful for the opportunity to share.
Going forward with the rest of my time at UCR and AACF, I strive to continue to trust in God, praying for diligence during feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. In the past, there were times when my faith began to slip away during hardships. During these times, I wish I sought God for discernment and comfort instead. I want to encourage fellow Christians to pray and find joy during all circumstances, rekindling past relationships that unnecessarily ended on bitter notes. I also encourage you to embrace challenges and take advantage of opportunities when they arise.