Next Steps: Learning to Tell Your God StoryНамуна

Life before knowing Jesus.

Everyone’s “pre-Jesus” days look a bit different. Maybe you made any and every choice that made you feel good in the moment without caring about how it affected you or others. Or, like me, you knew of Jesus, were vaguely involved with church on and off, and believed in your head Jesus is the Son of God, but you weren’t fully committed in your heart to following Him and accepting His salvation. Perhaps you met Jesus at a young age and don’t really remember what your life was like before that, even still, that part of your story matters! In the Kingdom of God, there is no “better” story of coming to faith; your “pre-Jesus” days aren’t a competition about who had it worse or who did it better.

Our lives before knowing Jesus are all different. They vary from some faith to no faith, a few bad choices to lots of bad choices. Before the Apostle Paul (also called Saul) came to know Jesus as his Savior, he was a persecutor of Christians and a murderer. Paul’s story is proof that no matter how far from God you might think you are or were, God wants to forgive your past and redeem it for His purposes!

Sometimes when you think back to that time, you might experience shame, but our God is not a God of shame! He is a forgiver, and He can even use it for good. Oftentimes, before following Jesus, we try to fill a void in our lives where He should be. We try to control everything about our lives with good (or desperate) intentions. The truth that every Christian eventually comes to is that only God can satisfy that void, and His will for our lives is best.

This “before Jesus” part of our God story can be hard to tell others, hard to write, and hard to admit. No matter what you did and what you are feeling, Jesus already knows and He’s already forgiven you. So, speak the truth about where God has rescued you from, and let God’s goodness and grace shine through even the darkest moments of your life!

Today’s challenge: Grab pen and paper or your device and dump your thoughts about what your life was like before Christ. Consider these questions if you’re stumped about where to start:

1. What did I believe before I met Jesus? How was I wrong?
2. Was there a void or a need I was trying to fill in my life? What was I trying to fill it with?
3. What types of feelings, emotions, or attitudes did I have towards God, others, and myself?