It Comes Naturally

What comes naturally for you? Do you possess a gift that’s always come easily? Maybe you’ve always had a head for numbers, acing math courses and calculating things in your head just for fun. (If so, the C average math student in me envies you). Maybe you’ve been belting out tunes since you were a tot, keeping perfect pitch whether you sing into a microphone or a hairbrush. Perhaps you’ve always had a knack for cooking or baking; for you, combining flavors and creating cuisines is as innate as breathing. If you’re unsure, just ask your family or close friends. I bet they could tell you. I’ll bet they’ve noticed your natural ability for something truly remarkable, whether you realized it was in you or not.

Each member of my household has a special skillset or talent that seems to have followed us all our life. My husband, for example, is what you might call a natural athlete. Put any kind of ball in his hands and he’ll know just what to do. He has a solid grip on the rules of nearly every American sport and he can hold his own on a court or field with little to no practice. (I’m not sure how he’d fare in rugby or polo, but I’d sure love to see him try.) My son has been cutting a rug at every opportunity since the day he could stand on his own two legs. The boy has rhythm and he is as confident as he is entertaining. My daughter is a remarkable artist. Her natural gift for creating is truly awe-inspiring. She’s been receiving praise and accolades for her artistic talents since she was in kindergarten. As for me, it should come as no surprise that words are sort of my thing. I’ve never known a time when I didn’t love to read and write. Hand me a book or a pen and I’ll make quick work of the written word. It feels so natural I joke it must be in my blood.

Last week I took my children to the local public library, their happy place. Each visit they check out no less than the maximum limit of books, (fifty, if you can believe it). They filled their tote bags to the point of bursting and stacked books under their chins in the most cumbersome manner, slowly weaving their way out of the library with their literary haul. We passed by a young mother on our way out and she said, “I wish my children loved to read to like that. How do you get yours to love books so much?” I shrugged it off with a casual, “They’re natural born readers.” My daughter overheard me say this and after we loaded into the car she pushed back, “Mom, you had a lot to do with it with our love of reading.” I looked at her through the rearview mirror as she listed off all the ways I’ve encouraged her and her brother to love books: I give books as gifts for every holiday and birthday, I’ve taken them to the library every week since they were toddlers, I read aloud to them every night, I keep lots of books for them in the car and around the house. “Not only that, but you love to read and you’ve always modeled that for us,” she continued. “You volunteer at our school book fairs, you’re always reading on your own, you attend book club, you insist on reading the book before ever watching the movie version of a story, and you talk about books with us and your friends. We’re natural readers because you’re a natural reader.”

The more I thought about it, my daughter had a point. What seemingly came so natural for my kids was in fact a product of their upbringing, the company they keep, and the environment in which they live. When I think about the other areas in which our family has “natural” ability, the same is true. My husband’s athletic aptitude stems from growing up in a family in which participation in team sports was highly valued; he and his two brothers were enrolled in sports all year long. There was no shortage of athletic equipment in his home growing up. When he shares memories from his childhood, they usually involve sports to some degree: tossing the football around in the front yard, teaching his little brother how to dribble a soccer ball, attending weekend soccer tournaments, and watching Sunday night football with his dad. For my son, the minute we realized he moved to music, we kept the tunes going on full blast. We constantly gave him space to groove, perform, and dance to his heart’s content for us, his ever encouraging audience. We bought him toys that played music, we played tunes at home and in the car, we enrolled him in dance camps and let him be as extra as he wanted for every school or church performance. We gave my daughter her first paint set and easel on her second birthday. We took her to art museums, registered her for art classes, and provided her with endless amounts of craft supplies. So, do our seemingly “natural” gifts and talents come from someplace deep within our DNA? Maybe to some degree. But I think more so they come from our “natural” surroundings. Our sphere of influence has a significant impact on the things we enjoy, what we’re passionate about, and what comes naturally to us.

How does this apply to our faith? Following Jesus doesn’t come “naturally” to anyone really, because it’s a sacrificial “take up your cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24) way of living. It’s a calling to resist the devil and unfriend the world (James 4:4 and 7). It’s contrary to every natural, sinful desire we have. So why does it seem so instinctive for some? How do people seem to have such unwavering faith in even the most trying of circumstances? Why does joy seem so easy to come by for them? Take a look at their natural surroundings.

If like me, you grew up in a Christian home or attending church, your faith in God may have always come easily to you. Waking up on Sunday mornings or sitting down to read your Bible and pray may be as effortless as brushing your teeth; you’ve never really known a time when it wasn’t just something you did. I was blessed to have parents and grandparents who modeled a faithful prayer life, led me in family devotionals, took me to church, and supported my desire to go on mission trips and attend church camps. For most of my life I surrounded myself with friends who shared my faith and encouraged me to pursue Jesus above all us. My environmental influences had a direct and profound impact on my relationship with Jesus. My feet were firmly planted in a foundation my family, friends, and leaders had helped me build. But it wasn’t always that way.

There were seasons when I removed the Christian influences from my life. I fell out of practice. My environment shifted. My faith didn’t feel so “natural” anymore and it showed. We are all a product of our experiences and I was participating in some pretty worldly things. I’d pushed my Christian friends to the periphery of my social circle. My choices were a reflection of things I’d surrounded myself with. The light of Jesus in me had dimmed. Imagine what would happen to my daughter’s passion if I removed all the craft supplies from our home and unenrolled her from art classes. Imagine the change we’d see in my son if we stopped playing music. The world might never know how gifted they truly are. What’s more, they may not see the light inside themselves anymore. When we have Christ in us, the same is true.

You may not have been raised in the church or brought up in a Christian home. You may have lacked an upbringing that positively influenced your faith, but don’t let that keep you from establishing for yourself an environment that will hone and nurture the Light within you. Or you may find yourself today in an unfamiliar environment. Maybe your positive influences were taken from you or maybe you pushed them aside. Regardless of how you got there, you can make your way back to solid ground again. You can change your sphere of influence. Surround yourself with people who fan the flame of Christ in you, who pray for you, encourage you, hold you accountable, forgive easily and show you abundant grace. Seek out community through church, Bible studies, small groups, pastors, friends and ministry leaders who will make it their mission to point you to Jesus. Dive into God’s Word; pursue Him in prayer. Refuse to let your Light be snuffed out. Do these things and I assure you, walking with Jesus will feel as ordinary and wonderful as walking with a friend. Your faith will come naturally, and it will show.