Disconnected
If you’ve lost your way, don’t know what is true anymore, and feel numb, half-dead, no longer alive—Jesus can change everything. (John 1:4,5, Jer 31:9,25, Ps 43:3,5). There was a time when that statement would have felt prickly to me. And honestly, I might have wanted to punch you in the face if you’d told me that. Why? Because it was so cliche. I had real problems, a very real emptiness inside, and I didn’t need your empty religiosity.
But I now realize it’s so cliche until it isn’t. When Jesus became real to me, I realized He was exactly what I had been searching for. If you can relate, my heart aches for you to allow His Words into your soul—the soul that no longer seems to exist (Ps 116:7-9, Matt 11:28-30). Let Him show you a life that is abundant and full of purpose (John 10:10). Let Him teach you His ways and become your truth (John 14:6). God is waiting to be so much more than religious rhetoric.
Uncertainty.
I think so often we spend our lives trying to please a God who doesn’t exist. When we make the choice, either deliberately or unintentionally, to walk away from God, we don’t realize that the “God” we have “known” isn’t the God of the Bible (John 8:54,55, John 12:40, Is 6:10). Here, we find ourselves in a broken, confusing place of uncertainty without grounding. We burn out, question everything, and walk away. We walk away from the God that left us empty, never discovering a relationship with our Creator.
This part of my story began from a place of brokenness, but I have learned that breakthroughs are birthed in these places. I felt like a shell of myself, uncertain of who I was. I was done, mentally checked out, and walked away from the God I knew. But walking away from that God left space for discovery.
Letting Go
The only way I discovered God was by walking away from the only God I knew—the God religion had taught me. The God who only loved me when I followed all the proper rules. The God who demanded perfection in exchange for eternal life. The God whose Son had a name but wasn’t my personal Savior. No, the God I knew then wasn’t the same God who sent Jesus wrapped in humanity to save me. I didn’t understand my need for Him; I adhered to the correct doctrine. That’s the God I walked away from. But instead of spiraling down a dark path devoid of God, He placed in me a desire to seek Him and Him alone (Ps 16:2,4,11).
Seeking
When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.” Psalm 27:8
By God’s grace, in my vulnerable moments of questioning, I turned to His Word instead of the voices of this world (Ps 53:1). With curiosity and an open mind, I began reading the Bible as if for the first time. As I embarked on my adventure of seeking God, I vividly recall noting an exclamation point while reading Jeremiah 29:13 NCV, “You will search for me. And when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me!” I was seeking a God who was eager for me to seek Him. I had grown up with a foundation of faith, and now my initiation of that tiny speck that remained was all He needed to work with (Matt 17:20, John 6:44, Heb 11:6).
Taking a Chance in Faith
Without faith no one can please God. Anyone who comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who genuinely want to find him. Hebrews 11:6
I longed to know who God was. I believed the Bible stories that had been instilled deep, and I wanted to know that God (Jer 31:31-33). The God I have discovered is nothing like who I thought He was. I learned the religious leaders crucified Jesus as He came to reveal the Father to us (Mark 15:1). He stirred up the people with His message (Luke 23:5). I invite you to let Jesus stir up your thinking about God and let Him introduce you to the One He came to declare (John 17:6-8,25,26). Jesus introduced me to a God who offers life, peace, and complete joy (John 14:19, 27, John 15:11). This God has given my life purpose and meaning (John 5:24, John 6:40).
If we choose to accept God’s Word as truth, we learn that only Jesus can reveal the One True God to us (John 1:16,17). Therefore, everything must begin with a relationship with Jesus. With this truth, we must beware that any teaching not founded on a personal relationship with Jesus is a false doctrine (Matt 15:6-9, Is 29:13).
A New Perspective
I considered this analogy while describing my discovery of God to a friend. Discovering God is like snorkeling. I had spent much of my life walking the ocean shoreline, unaware that a vibrant, hidden world of life and color was waiting to be discovered beneath the surface (John 4:42)! It’s worth putting on the gear and getting into the water. Here, true freedom awaits (Ps 116:16, Ps 118:5). Open yourself to imagine there is so much more to discover.
Intentionality
So, after experiencing disconnection and unbelief, I choose to believe. I choose to believe in a God who loves me so much that He gave His Son as a ransom to pay a debt I could never repay. I believe in the simplicity of God‘s Word: if I have faith in Jesus, I receive life forever (John 3: 14-21). Because of this free gift, I show my love for Him by keeping His Words (John 14:15,21,23). The invitation stands: open the door of your heart and seek God while you can (Is 55:6, John 12:35,36, Rev 3:20). We have no guarantee of tomorrow, but we have this moment.
There are only two choices, and we must decide. If you choose Jesus, what do you really have to lose?
Walking it out
The best way to get to know Jesus is to read His Story. This link guides you to reading all the gospels in just 61 days, spending only a few minutes daily. If you are not ready for that commitment, I love the Book of John; start there. Whatever you choose, I encourage you to read as if you’ve never heard the words before and let Jesus teach you His ways and truth.
🎵 This song gets me every single time!!! Listen Here 🎶
Other related pieces of my story:
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