So I posted my testimony and I've gotten a few responses to it on facebook and in person. All the comments and encouragements got me thinking about past responses I've received from others when they have heard of my conversion/testimony.
A lot of my friends from high school don't get to see me at all since I left to college (which is out of state from them) and my parents moved. So whenever I make a trip back to where I grew up I make it a point to meet with as many of my friends as possible and telling them of God's work in my life. They are always really interested in what I have been up to and love to hear about all my stories. They even sit attentively while I talk about how I found God and how He changed my life. One of the most common responses I get back from them is "Good for you". Now I know this is a generic response to good news, but I can't help but feel like they are saying something more along the lines of "Good for you [but maybe not so much for me]." That is just crazy to me. If you believe that there is a god and He is God; that He is in control of everything and wants what is best for you then why not live like it? Maybe my friends haven't had an opportunity to see a significant change in my life due to the fact that I don't even live in the same state as them anymore. I mean, I wasn't a bad kid in high school, so what they see is generally the same me unless they see how my priorities have changed. It is hard to show just how my life is different; how my heart is different. I understand that they don't see a ton of change, but it is still crazy to me.
I feel like part of this is because my friends have heard a lot about God, but no one has ever presented them with the fact that this change that we as Christians have experienced isn't for the select few. It isn't for the elite. It is for everyone. It isn't just good for me, but good for everyone. God uses the least likely of His creations for His purpose. If you have read my last blog post you can see that no one would have expected me to become a Christian. Look at Paul from the Bible; he was a Pharisee who had persecuted many of the early Christians (i.e. sentenced them to death). I mean Paul was on his way to persecute some more early Christians, yet God used Paul and now just under half of the New Testament consists of letters written by Paul.
A lot of my friends from high school don't get to see me at all since I left to college (which is out of state from them) and my parents moved. So whenever I make a trip back to where I grew up I make it a point to meet with as many of my friends as possible and telling them of God's work in my life. They are always really interested in what I have been up to and love to hear about all my stories. They even sit attentively while I talk about how I found God and how He changed my life. One of the most common responses I get back from them is "Good for you". Now I know this is a generic response to good news, but I can't help but feel like they are saying something more along the lines of "Good for you [but maybe not so much for me]." That is just crazy to me. If you believe that there is a god and He is God; that He is in control of everything and wants what is best for you then why not live like it? Maybe my friends haven't had an opportunity to see a significant change in my life due to the fact that I don't even live in the same state as them anymore. I mean, I wasn't a bad kid in high school, so what they see is generally the same me unless they see how my priorities have changed. It is hard to show just how my life is different; how my heart is different. I understand that they don't see a ton of change, but it is still crazy to me.
I feel like part of this is because my friends have heard a lot about God, but no one has ever presented them with the fact that this change that we as Christians have experienced isn't for the select few. It isn't for the elite. It is for everyone. It isn't just good for me, but good for everyone. God uses the least likely of His creations for His purpose. If you have read my last blog post you can see that no one would have expected me to become a Christian. Look at Paul from the Bible; he was a Pharisee who had persecuted many of the early Christians (i.e. sentenced them to death). I mean Paul was on his way to persecute some more early Christians, yet God used Paul and now just under half of the New Testament consists of letters written by Paul.
Let me just say: it isn't just good for me. It is good for everyone. If it really is so "good for [me]" then why don't you try it? God offers this gift free of charge for everyone. Let this stand as an invitation to anyone who is reading. God does care. God does love. And God does want you. It really is good for everyone, and it definitely is good for you.
I REALLY like all of this. I think you've said a lot of things that we've all thought. This is awesome.
ReplyDeleteBTW, this is Tori. For some reason my AOL thing is Mr. Anderson...