What was life like before you met Jesus?
Before I met Christ, people required a lot of patience to deal with me. I was and sometimes still am greedy and easy to anger. I was trying to find long term happiness. I tried games, food, friends, etc. but none sustained me for long. I wasn’t content in anything that I did. In the end, in my search for happiness, I ended up hurting the people around me and becoming even more dis-contented with everything. I hated myself and I hated the stuff that I did, but I couldn’t stop. Everyday, I would go about doing the things that I hated, but couldn’t stop. Whenever I tried to break away from the addiction, it would eventually come back into my life. Life was the pits.
How did you meet Jesus?
I was alone and desperate when I started to consider Christ. I went to church one day, and the message was about how true fulfillment could only be found in God. My favorite story on the matter is Matthew 19:16-30. I like this one because it is Jesus saying that Earthly things can and will keep you from the ultimate prize which is heaven. It also goes to show that nothing here on Earth matters; we have just given it an aura of importance. I can not ultimately find happiness in anything here on Earth besides God. I trusted God to help me out of my current situation and to relieve me of the daily burden that I carried.
“And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
After being saved by Jesus, what is your life like now?
Through Christ, I am learning to have more patience and to confront my temptations. I have learned that my life would have forever been incomplete and discontented if not for Christ, Psalm 23 reminds me of this.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”