What happened to you?
The post below came after reflecting on this past week's sermon on the life transforming power of the Gospel.
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What happened to the girl who was going to be someone important with a PhD but instead walked away from the prestige in the very last stage of the degree?
What happened to the girl who was going to sit at the head of the table and be in the leading role but instead is sitting on the side and embracing a support role?
What happened to the girl who was going to have a successful career but instead is thriving as a stay at home mom?
What happened to the girl who always said 'I could never homeschool' and is now stepping into the role of primary educator for her children?
What happened to the girl whose life looks completely different than what she had planned for herself?
What happened to her?
Jesus happened.
The Gospel message happened.
The best thing that could ever happen to someone happened.
I found myself at a crossroads. After being a follower of Jesus for almost 28 years, it was a moment of “you’re either in or you’re out”. And I chose in. I chose Jesus.
There was no more comfortable checklist. No more saying “I can do this for you and serve you here”. No more routine. No more personal preference. No more doing things myself and creating my own security.
He made my heart new and I am a new creation.
That means more uncomfortable situations, more dependence, and more vulnerability for authenticity. That means more asking “what do you want me to do? Where do you want me to serve?”. That means more of Him and less of me. That means total surrender as you trust and obey. That means depending on and walking faithfully with Him even when it doesn’t make sense.
Easy? No
Worth it? Absolutely!
It’s not about a list of rules and being a good person. It’s about being where God is. When you know the Father, when you have a relationship with Jesus, when the Holy Spirit has gotten a hold of your heart and you’ve experienced the undeserved grace, mercy and ultimate love, you want to be there.
You want to be where He is. You want to sit in His presence. You want to talk with Him, sing praises to Him. You want to just simply be at His feet.
How could we not want that? Jesus died for us while we were still sinners. He died for us while we were still deep in our desires, our failures, our selfishness. We were driving the hot mess express at full speed and He still died for us!
He got in the mud with you and me, embraced us, and offered us forgiveness and new life.
He gave us a choice.
I chose Him.
Without Him, nothing else matters.
And that’s what happened to me. A cultural Christian turned into a faithful disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.