Before I was a Christian: I placed importance and my identity on being better than others and working hard. And pleasing my parents; I was boastful and proud; I was unkind and selfish towards others. I thought I was a Christian.
At the start of Secondary School, before I was a Christian, my Dad told me to read this daily Bible reading Devotional thing which I quickly read on the bus to school so that I could watch more science videos which I found more interesting. However, through reading the Bible (even if not wholeheartedly) I gained more understanding and wisdom from it. And by God’s grace, this most certainly set the ground for me coming to trust God and accept Jesus as my salvation shortly after.
It was a couple of years ago, as I became a teenager, that I realized just how much of a horrible, sinful wretch and failure I was. I truly recognized how much of a problem sin was and asked Jesus for forgiveness and help to live a life that pleased him.
My identity is no longer in my failures of achievements or anything except Jesus who lives in me (He never changes). My future is secure In Jesus, He is my hope. I know that I am joined to Him and that I belong in heaven with Him. I am amazed and praise God for His grace that He still loves and cares for me, that He died for me while I was still His enemy.
I put my trust in God and cast all my anxieties on Him because He is always on control and knows what is best. I trust that God’s promises are always true, no matter how I feel. Jesus is my comfort and hope, He is always with me. I have a desire to please God in what I do, He is my motivation. His spirit lives in me and convicts me of my sin and guides me to repentance.
I cannot be proud or boastful for I know that all good things come from God. He is my sustainer, without Him I can do no good thing. I ask God to help me love others and put others first so that they see God’s love in me. I ask that God will use me to bring glory, honour and praise to His name. I know that by God’s grace, He is always working in me, sanctifying me, making me more like Jesus.
I still sin, but God continues to forgive me when I turn back to Him because Jesus died instead of me. I am thankful that Jesus is my Lord and Saviour and for all that He has done. I don’t deserve any of it.