How I became a Christian is so typical of the other lifestories included on this page. I grew up in a church background, rebelled against my upbringing and the church in my adolescent years and through the errors of my ways Jesus revealed himself to be the one and true Living God at the end of final year of sixth form.
So my testimony will be written slightly different from the others, where I will share parts of my journey with Christ in the four and half years I have known him; in the hope it will describe what an imperfect Christian looks like whilst illustrating the enormous grace our God lavishes on us all.
So I became a Christian in the latter stages of sixth form. Up until that point I had yet to face any obstacles, doubts or challenges to my faith. However, the situation soon changed when I left my home church and that strong environment to head to University.
I won’t bore you with every detailed failing in my Christian walk whilst I was there as the list is endless, from promiscuity in my first year to adopting bad habits like excessive drink and recreational drugs throughout my time at university. (I would also like to stress the point that this was not a ‘Christian going bad’ and experiencing the ways of the world, but this was me reverting back to hold habits, the life previously lead prior to accepting that personal relationship with Christ. In many ways this lifestyle was all I knew. You could possibly describe it as my safety net).
However, the powerful story does not come in describing my failings but in explaining the amazing grace and intervention I felt from God every time I tried to turn away and reject my faith. All of the above negative attributes was able to evolve and deepen because I chose not to attend church; I chose not to seek that strong Christian community I had at home and God intervened at every opportunity to change that.
In the first few months at uni, I distinctively remember God introducing people into my life who were both a) devoted to Christ and b) firm believers in going to Church and reading the word. So amidst my rebellious behaviour I began to cling onto those people in the hope I could restore my faith to what it was. That didn’t work. I still continued to drink excessively and desire relationships with people that drew me away from Christ rather than steer me towards Him. I also remember how He would put me in people’s lives and in circumstances to preach Christ crucified and I still held back, rejecting any to knowledge of faith before my friends.
And as a result my faith became non-existent and my relationships with people from my home church were also being affected. Looking back on it now all that I had done wrong was because of the choices I made, and so I challenge anyone, whether Christian or not, reading this to look within and ask yourself how am I contributing to this downward spiral effect? Take that time to be honest with yourself. For me, my contribution was rejecting the Church and His word and replacing those with a temporary fix; my contribution was the pursuit of self rather than the pursuit of God’s Kingdom on earth. I see that now I didn’t see that then.
I also see how despite my rejection, Christ continued to meet me where I was, to illustrate his love and will in my life, unconditionally. I can see how he extended his hand through people; through prayer [when I took the time to pray]; through circumstance to demonstration unity. I did not have to deal with life in my own strength but in unison with him and my faith. That my friends is the beauty of the Gospel and why I actively continue to serve and worship Christ. We have all fallen (and will continue to fall short) of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23) but is that a sufficient excuse to reject his Love and Grace?
The Bible verse that speaks to continually in my walk with Christ is Galatians chapter 5 verses 24:
‘Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of
their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there
Am I now this perfect Christian? Absolutely not! The righteousness I now have is not of my own but one which is by God in faith (Philippians 3:9). Every day I chose to belong to Christ not counting my pass mistakes against me but moving forward each day with Christ. The same came be true for you also. Are you ready to discover yourself on an intimate and personal level? Explore Christianity
So I became a Christian in the latter stages of sixth form. Up until that point I had yet to face any obstacles, doubts or challenges to my faith. However, the situation soon changed when I left my home church and that strong environment to head to University.
I won’t bore you with every detailed failing in my Christian walk whilst I was there as the list is endless, from promiscuity in my first year to adopting bad habits like excessive drink and recreational drugs throughout my time at university. (I would also like to stress the point that this was not a ‘Christian going bad’ and experiencing the ways of the world, but this was me reverting back to hold habits, the life previously lead prior to accepting that personal relationship with Christ. In many ways this lifestyle was all I knew. You could possibly describe it as my safety net).
However, the powerful story does not come in describing my failings but in explaining the amazing grace and intervention I felt from God every time I tried to turn away and reject my faith. All of the above negative attributes was able to evolve and deepen because I chose not to attend church; I chose not to seek that strong Christian community I had at home and God intervened at every opportunity to change that.
In the first few months at uni, I distinctively remember God introducing people into my life who were both a) devoted to Christ and b) firm believers in going to Church and reading the word. So amidst my rebellious behaviour I began to cling onto those people in the hope I could restore my faith to what it was. That didn’t work. I still continued to drink excessively and desire relationships with people that drew me away from Christ rather than steer me towards Him. I also remember how He would put me in people’s lives and in circumstances to preach Christ crucified and I still held back, rejecting any to knowledge of faith before my friends.
And as a result my faith became non-existent and my relationships with people from my home church were also being affected. Looking back on it now all that I had done wrong was because of the choices I made, and so I challenge anyone, whether Christian or not, reading this to look within and ask yourself how am I contributing to this downward spiral effect? Take that time to be honest with yourself. For me, my contribution was rejecting the Church and His word and replacing those with a temporary fix; my contribution was the pursuit of self rather than the pursuit of God’s Kingdom on earth. I see that now I didn’t see that then.
I also see how despite my rejection, Christ continued to meet me where I was, to illustrate his love and will in my life, unconditionally. I can see how he extended his hand through people; through prayer [when I took the time to pray]; through circumstance to demonstration unity. I did not have to deal with life in my own strength but in unison with him and my faith. That my friends is the beauty of the Gospel and why I actively continue to serve and worship Christ. We have all fallen (and will continue to fall short) of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23) but is that a sufficient excuse to reject his Love and Grace?
The Bible verse that speaks to continually in my walk with Christ is Galatians chapter 5 verses 24:
‘Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of
their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there
Am I now this perfect Christian? Absolutely not! The righteousness I now have is not of my own but one which is by God in faith (Philippians 3:9). Every day I chose to belong to Christ not counting my pass mistakes against me but moving forward each day with Christ. The same came be true for you also. Are you ready to discover yourself on an intimate and personal level? Explore Christianity
