Life before believing

Growing up at church, I still remember the car rides home with my mother. She would always ask “Have you considered getting baptized?” or “Do you believe God is real?” and I never knew how to respond. Looking back at it, it was because I didn’t truly know who God was. This led to my misunderstanding of what it meant to be a Christian. I had constantly compared myself to other Christians and thought that I would never be good enough to be a Christian like them. And if I was never going to be good enough, why would I need God? I developed a habit of relying on myself and I was very determined to live my life this way. As I progressed through my life and many hard times came my way, God showed me that this was not how I should be living and that I needed to put my trust in Him and understand His word.

How I Came to Believe

One day, I had a conversation with someone and he asked me about my faith. I explained my current situation and we decided that I should read the Bible. He told me about this reading plan that helped me finish the entire Bible in a year and that I should give it a try. I was overly ambitious and quickly hit a wall when I got to the book of Numbers. Even though I did not finish that reading plan, I could feel the Holy Spirit working within me. 

Sometime later, a random podcast showed up on my feed and it was an interview with a former gang member who later came to Christ. He shared something during the interview that resonated with me. He said “Are you going to trust in yourself, where your heart is constantly changing and therefore lies to you or are you going to trust in the word of God that never changes and never lies?” That was when I realized that I was misplacing my trust in myself and that I needed to trust in God.

It wasn’t until I joined a discipleship class that I finally understood what Christ truly did for us and what it meant to be a follower of Christ. I learned that God is both just and the justifier. Our sins cannot be repaid or forgiven by our own good works. We are truly redeemed only through faith in Jesus Christ, and we are sanctified through our union with Him.

How my life has changed as a result

God has shown me a new direction in life. My problems with sin and trusting myself didn’t just go away. I still struggle with self-doubt from time to time, but I know I can always run to God and trust in Him, knowing that He truly loves and accepts me.

How I plan to serve the church as a member

I plan to continue serving the church with the abilities God has given me, whether in worship or any other capacity He calls me to in current or future ministries.