II beg you to consider the state of your own soul. I'd like to pose a few questions to help you do that and then share my story. It won't take more than a few minutes.
How did you come into existence? Does your origin have anything to do with your conscience? Are you doing what your Creator wants you to do? Will you be held accountable for that? How will you stand up under scrutiny?
I don't know of any better way to convince you to believe in Jesus than to tell you what he's done for me. From an early age I believed in God as I was taught by my parents, but my heart was locked up in self-interest and pride. In elementary school, I developed social problems with my peers. Doing well in school exacerbated this problem. I now know this is a fairly common experience, but that makes no difference when you're going through it as a child. The pain of rejection began to shape my soul and define me. I was in a downward spiral of antisocial behavior, because I thought I wasn't liked.
When I was 12, God supernaturally healed me in a way that is impossible to fully relate. In one evening, I was changed from being fearful and awkward to being confident in God's love and finally able to relate to others as myself, without pretense. My life has never been the same since God told me that night that He accepted me, and His opinion matters more than that of anyone else. It wasn't discovering myself that made me comfortable in my own skin - it was discovering God and His thoughts about me.
I would not stand up very well under scrutiny. My pattern of rejection as a child was not just the result of wrongs done to me but of my sinful responses of contempt and pride toward most of the people I knew. I stole from a good friend once. I disobeyed and lied to my parents. I did not love God with my whole heart.
We as people tend to justify our faults and compare ourselves among each other, but the only comparison that matters is to Jesus Christ, who never sinned. For my sins, I would stand guilty before God except that He put Himself in my place on the cross and took the punishment I should have gotten - the wrath of a truly good God.
Like me, you can also be forgiven of all your sins before God - past, present, and future made clean - by deciding to follow Jesus. Believe and obey Him. Maybe you too need to be healed of some scarring of the soul caused by yourself or others. God's Spirit wants to come live inside of you and begin healing and restoring you once you believe. His presence is refreshing and life-giving.
Jesus is inviting you into his kingdom, offering you eternal life. Your Creator loves you. Won't you accept the gift of salvation that he purchased for you on the cross?
1 comment:
Nice testimony, Sam!
Post a Comment