I didn’t know God before I read the Bible
I was talking to my friend from church about how there are a few new believers at our church. He mentioned that we often forget what it is like to be in that stage of faith. Both of us have been christian for over 3 years. We are in a much different stage than someone who just gave their life to the Lord. Our life is more in the process of doing Gods will while theirs is more about learning who God is. I told him that for the first month of me being a born again christian my understanding of God was way off. He asked me what changed.
“What changed in your life that allowed you to know who God is and what he wants?”
I replied, “I read the Bible”
“Crazy. Right?”
That’s all he said but at that moment we understood that both of us found the key to everything. We both just knew. The power of God’s word changed our lives radically. The only thing to do was laugh in amazement. Pure joy. Like we had just barely made it to the other side.
I used to think that it was fine to live for a relationship or family or success. Those are good things right? We were told this our whole life. I had no idea what idolization was. I had no idea that the number one commandment is to love God with all your heart. All I remembered form Church was that God loves us. I had a very self centered view of God. “What can God do for me?” was my mentality. When my girlfriend broke up with me I turned to God. Not for Him but for what He could do. All I wanted was for Him to fix things and make it go back to normal. In my desperation I learned who God really is.
We were created to serve God. Therefore, we are most fulfilled when we do this. A relationship with God is our souls longing. Ever since the fall of man, humans have been trying to figure out how we will be united with Him once again. Now through Jesus we are able to have this relationship. Many choose not to pursue God. Many fill themselves with things of this world that have similar effects but in the end it’s all fools gold.
I remember being upset at the church I grew up going to. Reading the Bible for the first time I had a basic understanding of the stories. When I actually started reading it the main thought going through my head was, “Why didn't anyone tell me this? How did I go to church my whole life an never know most of this?
Maybe they did. Maybe I wasn't paying attention. Maybe I wasn’t ready to receive the Gospel. But I do know that when I decided to learn about who Jesus is on my own through reading scripture, my life was changed.
I found my self waking up at 6 every morning. (Now thats not early to me, but before then I would never wake up before 8.) The first thing I did was pick up my Bible. I was fascinated at how God can speak to us so directly through His word. Most importantly, it gave me a real knowledge of who God is so that I may now live for and with Him.
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