THANK YOU!

Some people might think that Jesus is unnecessary, ridiculous, “not for them”, or whatever, but I know that my life is not the same and it never will be. I am changed forever. No matter what anyone else thinks or knows, I KNOW how I used to be and how I am NOW. I may not be doing a good job if others don’t see a genuine and lasting difference, but I KNOW there’s a deep, inner, essential difference. A transformation in the primary essence of who I am. A turning around of the things I long for and the things that I live for. I thought I had everyone fooled, but God was not tricked, nor can He be. He saw the hatred I had for some people, the lust, the selfishness and manipulation. You might have thought I was a good kid or that I had most of it together if you knew me before I knew Christ. But I was living a lie. True freedom came when I accepted Christ into my heart. I truly believe that He is the savior of me as well as every person I know and love and every person I’ve never known or loved. But what does He save me from? He saves me from a meaningless, empty life. A confusing, worrisome, and selfish existence. He saves me from myself and all the harm that I can cause to myself and others when I’m not seeking His face. He saves me from eternal separation from Himself and there IS an eternity waiting.

No more do I attempt to live for myself, for the future, or for nothing. I desire to strive with all that I am to live for Him. My hope, purpose, and mission are all found in the absolute actions of Christ on the cross and God’s raising Him from death. There is no possible way for me to deny His existence or His presence in my life. No way to deny His great orchestration from the very greatest of my circumstances to the very least. The very toughest times to the most enjoyable. There is no way that He isn’t real. He’s the sovereign God of the entire universe, knitting together every fiber of my entire being before I even existed.

I definitely still mess up/sin/falter… whatever you want to call it. I still need to be immensely corrected, sensitized, broken, forgiven, softened, helped, encouraged, challenged, taught. But it’s a lifelong journey. And He’ll be refining me for His glory for the rest of my life. Even when I turn away from Him, when I deliberately disobey and rebel against Him, when I lose hope and give up on Him… Not for one second did, does, or will He ever stop pursuing me or give up on me. It’s extremely tempting to immerse myself in my previous ways and I’ll struggle for sure, but I’ve gotten a taste of His love and mercy and it’s unforgettable!

Thank God for making Himself known to me NOW rather than later! Where would I be at this moment if He hadn’t rescued me?