Radical

You’ve heard the story before. Man caught up in drugs turns his life around fully after hearing about God’s love. Woman stuck in prostitution changes her life for the better after someone tells her that God still loves her. Teenager gives their heart to God at life-changing youth retreat. And those are all amazing stories. Those are all examples of lives radically changing, turning from a sinful past to follow God. These are people who have experienced God’s grace in a radical way. Don’t get me wrong, these are all amazing stories, and I am so glad people come to Christ this way, especially considering their dark past.

But me, I don’t have a radical story to tell you.

I grew up in a Christian home, always hearing the bible stories, always hearing of God’s love, always knowing about the sacrifice of Christ. So after a while it got kind of redundant. The fact of Jesus’ death and resurrection became redundant and less meaningful to me. Less radical. I knew that Christ had died for my sins, I knew I was forgiven and I knew I was a child of God. But my life didn’t show it. My life showed that I didn’t really care. I didn’t read my bible often, I never took opportunities to share Christ’s love with anyone; I didn’t focus on God.

Due to this, I got caught up. I was in the world and of the world – exactly the opposite of what God wants from His children. 

But now, I have finally experienced God in a way that I now know that He loves me, that Christ died for me, and that I have been forgiven. Romans 8:1 says “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Jesus Christ.”  I am in Christ, I have been forgiven, and I will not be condemned, and nothing can separate me from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39).

My life changed. I realized I am a sinner, and I have accepted God’s love and Christ’s sacrifice for myself. It wasn’t radical, it was simple. I kept going to church, kept listening to sermons, kept learning. I was never a drug addict or a prostitute. I never murdered or stole. But I am still a sinner – held to the same level as all others – and I am forgiven. 

I still don’t really have a radical story. But God is calling me to a journey, a life living for and with Him, and it’s about to get radical.