October 19, 2026 by

 

John 3:16 is perhaps the most well-known Bible verse: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”  

It’s the Gospel in a nutshell — a message of life-saving truth.  

However, those who grew up in the church or attend a Christian school like Cedarville may find it easy to become complacent or even calloused to John 3:16 (or, more broadly, the Gospel and other biblical truth).  

We heard the stories, sang the songs, and did all the “Christian” things, but how do we make sure we are living out our faith in genuineness rather than going through the motions? 

I want to suggest three ways we can avoid complacency in our faith. 

Saturating Ourselves in the Word (And Doing It Rightly) 

Our daily bread is the Word of God, the Bible.  

When it comes to complacency in our Bible reading, I view it in two ways: We’re either consuming more spiritual junk food than the Word, or we’re consuming the Word too quickly to savor its rich flavor. 

Whenever I found myself becoming lazy with my Bible reading and skipping days or weeks at a time, I was consuming other media that wasn’t nourishing. I was content with the lesser pleasures and “joys” of the world. 

As C.S. Lewis once said, “We are far too easily pleased.” 

So, what’s the solution?  

It’s feeding our souls with a greater pleasure and joy — beholding the glory of God. 

What does this mean practically?  

Preaching the Gospel to ourselves daily is an excellent way to see God’s glory.  

The Gospel isn’t just for unbelievers; it’s for believers too! 

In 2 Corinthians 4:4, Paul describes it as “the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ.” 

We will become what we behold.  

If we’ve become complacent, then perhaps we’ve been settling for lesser glories rather than being transformed by the greatest glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). 

Image of a Bible open to 2 Timothy.

But maybe we do read our Bible every day, go to church, attend chapel, and rehearse the Gospel daily. How can we still feel stale in our faith when we’re surrounded by the Gospel? 

I felt this way for a while attending Cedarville, but looking back, I was reading the Word to check a box without listening to it — without meditating on it. 

The idea of meditating simply means soaking in the Word by reflecting and thinking on its life-giving truth. When we’re intentional about savoring the Word, we’re more like Mary, who was attentive to Jesus and eager to learn, rather than Martha, who was busy and just hearing Him from the other room.  

The Holy Spirit is the One who helps us understand Scripture. We just need to slow down and humble ourselves to listen to Him. 

Communing With Our Savior in Prayer 

I often forget the privilege that prayer truly is. 

By the blood of Christ and the grace of God, I can enter the throne room of God and talk to the Sovereign Creator of the World, who holds my life in His hand and desires to commune with me as Father to a son.  

But too often, I let the responsibilities of college life reduce my prayer life to three quick prayers before meals. 

You can’t grow to love the Lord more if you don’t talk to Him! When we become complacent in our faith and reduce our prayer life, we’re missing out on the joy and eternal pleasures in God’s presence (Psalm 16:11).  

What are these joys and eternal pleasures?  They’re enjoying God Himself — the source of life and everything good.  

So how do we avoid complacency in prayer? We remind ourselves of the privilege of prayer and what it cost to be possible. 

What does this look like? Set aside a dedicated, uninterrupted time to talk with God; otherwise, you may keep falling into the trap of rushed prayers. 

Praying with other believers in a prayer group or discipleship context is also a great way to practice love for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  

Image of a group of male college students in the woods at a retreat.

For me, keeping a prayer journal is a helpful way to stay intentional with my prayers while serving as a reminder of God’s faithfulness, even in unexpected ways.  

In these ways and more, we can move from only meal prayers to fully enjoying communion with Christ! 

Encouraging and Serving Others as the Body of Christ 

Cedarville University is known for having chapel five days a week.  

It’s truly a gift and blessing to worship God every weekday morning and hear from the Word.  

However, chapel is not the church.  

God wired us for community in the local church, which means not just going to Sunday service and leaving but also encouraging and serving one another with the spiritual gifts the Spirit has given us (1 Peter 4:10).  

By doing this, we are contributing to the body of Christ and actively living out our faith. 

College is a special season in life, but that doesn’t mean students can’t get plugged in. Becoming a member at a local church is an excellent start. Consider attending Sunday school or signing up for a small group as well. Seek out opportunities to serve, whether musically, in the community, through hospitality, etc.  

And get to know people in the church! When we live in community as God intended, we will find the lasting joy in serving the body of Christ. 

Living With Kingdom Purpose 

So, how do we avoid complacency in our faith?  

We consume and savor the daily bread of God’s Word, remember the privilege and joy of prayer, and serve Christ’s church with our gifts.  

The glue that binds these together is the glorious Gospel of God.  

When we forget the Gospel or take it for granted, we deprive ourselves of beholding a glimpse of God’s glory and being in awe of Him every day. 

When we truly live out our faith empowered by the Holy Spirit, we will find that the Christian life that God intended is anything but complacent!

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