Last night I had the awesome opportunity of being able to share a small part of my story at our campus ministry's meeting. I promised I share it with some of my friends who weren't able to make it so here it is! So grateful for all that God has done in my life.
I grew up like any other church kid
who was raised in a Christian home. I heard all the Bible stories in Sunday
school, learned all about God and knew all the right answers in youth group. I
knew how to talk the talk and I even knew how to live out the Christian life,
how to serve others and memorize scripture. Yet everything I did was lifeless
and shallow. Something was missing in all of my good Christian stuff. I felt
empty and hallow.
My knowledge fooled me and those
around me. I collected knowledge about God like one collects books on a shelf
or memorizes history facts. Because of this there was no life or joy in my walk
with God. I was following all of the rules, it had become about behavior
modification to me and learning how to be good. Somehow in the midst of Sunday
school lessons, youth groups and sermons I neglected and missed the most
important part of being a Christian: having a personal relationship with God!
But thankfully God didn’t leave me
there, at Cru’s winter conference- INDYCC God used the testimony of a friend and one of my leaders, to show me how deeply Jesus loved me and how he desired to intimately know me and infuse life into my relationship with him!
At the
moment God opened my heart and showed me that although I had known all about God and even did things to serve God, I didn't actually truly
know God. That night God was gracious enough to show me what was missing in my
life and that was him! I was missing a personal, powerful connection and
relationship with Jesus Christ! Ever since then my life as a Christian has been
completely different. There is now so much joy and grace that motivates what I
do.
Some things may still look the same on the
outside like reading my Bible, but the motivation behind it is how different,
for example I now study God’s word not to simply gain knowledge, but to know
him. I spend time with him and talk to him because I love him and I want to
grow closer to God and know more of who he is instead of only praying when I
need things from him! Before I simply knew about Jesus, but now I truly know
Jesus like a friend and having that real personal relationship with Jesus is
what has changed everything for me; and brought joy, life, and grace into my
walk with God!
