We often hear uplifting stories about people who “find Jesus” or re-discover their faith because of a life changing or near death experience and these stories are often very powerful and moving. But what about the rest of us, what are our stories like? Are we waiting (perhaps in vain) for our own life changing discovery, for that “ah-ha” moment when the Lord knocks us in the head and says “WAKE UP”? Does this sound like you? Have you been waiting for that moment? Have you been avoiding coming to services and functions until you have that miraculous occurrence or feeling? I think we have all been guilty of this scenario to some degree at some point in our lives, waiting for a thunderous voice from Heaven to change our lives, when we should have been listening… for a whisper.
My story is a common one; I was born into a loving family, a comfortable life with all the trappings of an American family of the times. We attended church regularly, Sunday school, Bible School, and occasionally got to attend those “exotic” services at the big city Church that my grandmother attended. When I was a young teenager, I was baptized along with my friends from the church and all seemed to be great and on track for a Christian life. Why wouldn’t it be? I had followed all the steps, gone to all the right functions and services, and thought I knew the Lord and all the things a good Christian should be. The problem was that there were cracks in my faith, I had learned the motions but not the meaning, the prayerful words but not the conversation, and over time these cracks began to grow into holes, and over time my faith began to come into real danger of crumbling into a pile of rubble. While I was cognizant of the terrible shape my faith was in, and the terrible shape my life was in, I was at a loss as to how I could fix it. The job was too big and I didn’t know where to start. I just stood there waiting and waiting and waiting, expecting some proverbial divine slap or push to come from the heavens and instruct me on what to do, or to do it for me. I couldn’t understand how things had gone so awry, why had God let this happen to me, and why he couldn’t just snap his fingers and fix everything that I had messed up so royally…wait, did I just say “I had messed up?” Had I, without even perceiving it was happening, abandoned God in my pursuit of worldly things and the good times? That’s when I heard, no, felt the whisper…almost imperceptible at first, somewhere deep in my conscience and in my soul. The message/feeling was clear… I was not alone.
God was speaking to me; he was working within me, even when I was not speaking to him or working towards him. It was only when I had hit rock bottom and when I had stopped thinking I knew all the answers that I heard his voice. How powerful and profound is that? From that time forward, and it hasn’t been an easy journey so far, I began to put my life and my faith back together, brick by brick the Lord and I have been rebuilding it together. Many times I have stumbled, and many more times I will stumble again, but knowing now that he is there patiently waiting with his hand outstretched to pick me back up, dust me off, and keep walking down the path of life together. This is what it means to be a Christian, to acknowledge that I am imperfect, I am a sinner, and yet for all my faults and all of my weaknesses God loves me! He wants me to be all that I can be, to live out the purpose of my life whatever that is, to Love and trust in him, and to Love others and share the grace that he has given me. It’s never too late to start down the Lord’s path, it’s never too late to accept him and let his Grace into your life, you just have to open your heart, free your mind, and take that first step towards God. So friends I ask you to walk with me, walk with us rather, and one day when we hopefully grow old and our legs are too weak to walk any further he will pick us up in his arms and carry us home.
Do you have a Story or Testimony to share about your faith experiences? Please send it to us so it can help others who may have similar life experiences!