One Christian who seemed to be very anxious about salvation of his soul, complained about his inadvertent sins. He spoke about his plan become a monk to resolve his spiritual problems. When I asked him to explain me his problem in more detail, he answered that he very often commits adultery inadvertently. Since it is impossible to be in Christ and to have this kind of problem, I asked him how much time during the day he spends in building union with God; how much time he dedicate to prayer and studying God's word. He replied: "Well, I pray while, say, I'm driving a car and now I don't read the Bible but other Christian literature!"

This young man, even though he looked like someone who was ready to sacrifice his life and do everything in order to be reconciled with God, didn't make any effort to really get to know Christ as The Friend and the Saviour. He wanted to be a Christian without meeting Christ. All his interest for spiritual things was motivated by selfish interests. The young man wanted to be free from the unpleasant feeling of guilt and longed for bliss and God's presence in his heart. He thought so much about himself and so little about the beauty of God's character. He did not make a decision to put Jesus above all the other things in his life, even above the question of his salvation and feeling of bliss.

Only a few minutes of prayer and reading the Bible during the day, like many "Christians" usually have in order to build their spirituality, has no other purpose than to calm their consciousness. That way they show that they do not find the communion with Jesus pleasant. (If the communion with God is not pleasant to us now it will not be pleasant to us in Heaven either.)

In order to justify their spiritual indifference towards studying Holy Scriptures some people say:

"But I know what was written in the Bible! There is no sense to read it again!"

I drink water every day not in fear of forgetting its taste but because it is the answer to the needs of my organism.

On the spiritual level, we have our spiritual needs. To satisfy our spiritual needs we need God's word which is going to open the door of our mind and heart to our God, our Saviour.

When we read a novel for the first time it's the most interesting and then it becomes less interesting each time we read it again. We are reading the Bible to feed our spirit so it's not possible for it to be less interesting by the time. By the time our capacity to understand love is growing, and that is why studying the Bible brings us more blessing. We read the Bible to be in communion with God.

Only in the first enlightened study of the Bible man comes upon new revelation. Then, later on, he reads the Bible and reminds himself of these revelations and through them maintain communion with God.

In order to justify their spiritual indifference towards prayer some people say:

"It's enough that you pray a few minutes every day sincerely and with faith and God will accept you!"

That is right! But before a man comes to such a prayer of salvation, where he will subdue his will to God, it is necessary for him to pass through dozens of minutes and even hours of prayer and fight (in acceptance of God, admittance of the depths of one's needs and building up the saving confidence in the Saviour).

"Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." (Psalm 5:3)

Man is inclined to spend many hours in conversations with other mortal men, but only a few minutes with God. Such a superficial communion cannot result in one's awareness of spiritual needs, repentance and trust in God.

"Many, even in their seasons of devotion, fail of receiving the blessing of real communion with God. They are in too great haste. With hurried steps they press through the circle of Christ's loving presence, pausing perhaps a moment within the sacred precincts, but not waiting for counsel. They have no time to remain with the divine Teacher. With their burdens they return to their work. ... Not a pause for a moment in His presence, but personal contact with Christ, to sit down in companionship with Him - this is our need." (EGW Education 260)

One priest said: "Don't tell me about the people who have time for prayer and others who don't. We are all praying to something or to someone." (M. Venden)

If they are not satisfied in God, the desires of the heart remain and man tries to satisfy them in everyday actions, thus falling into many sin.

As our mind has to indulge in some thoughts why cannot they be holy and pure thoughts that will open out hearts to God, that will fill them with love and therefore make our lives a blessing to the world?!