“Oh that’s great that you’re religious,” she said. “You’re doing good things, traveling the world, helping people and changing the world for the good…that’s great.”
I listened as she spoke but had a heavy heart. I thanked her that she was so kind but said, “you know, the interesting thing is that I didn’t come because of religion. I actually gave up on religion long ago.”
She looked at me stunned and with a changed demeanor.
“You see, 6 years ago I gave my life to Jesus and He drastically changed my life. I now have a relationship with Him.”
“What’s that?” was her response.
I asked her if she’s ever heard of Jesus. She responded with once or twice she’s heard the name but doesn’t know much about His life.
As I began to share about His love for us to literally die for our sins and rise again all because of His love for us, she stopped and said “yeah yeah I’ve heard of that..I’m just not interested in that religious stuff.”
As much as I wanted to keep sharing, I felt led to ask her more questions about her experience with faith/religion.
She shared that in her hometown there was a church she went to once and she felt shamed. She didn’t feel welcomed, couldn’t understand the speaker, felt like it was ritualistic and didn’t feel a sense of belonging.
Have you ever felt that before?
As I listened to her share, I felt God telling me to apologize.
“Gosh, I’m sorry that’s happened to you.” I said. Again, she had a shocked look on her face as if to say why is this girl apologizing for something she didn’t even do.
“Reality is a relationship with Jesus is not something done because of duty or ritual, a relationship with Jesus is like a friendship that I have with my best friend,” I said.
“I can pray and talk to Jesus wherever and whenever.” “Nothing that I do will earn me His love.” “I love others and Him because He first loved me even before I did anything for Him.” (1 John 4:19)
She had a look of curiosity on her face as if she was internalizing everything I was saying. A few moments passed and then she said thanks for sharing, and changed the subject of conversation.
You see, the reality is I didn’t come on the world race for people to see blog posts and pictures to say “wow look at her she’s doing good things and changing the world.”
If this world race was about me and becoming more popular or more known for doing good things,
send me home.
Reality is, it’s hard. We’re halfway through the race and I’m done. I want to just come home. BUT it’s conversations that I have with people like this lady that I’m reminded of why I came.
Honestly y’all, it’s my prayer for her and you reading this. That you don’t see me at all, instead you see JESUS. That you stand in AWE saying “woah, that Jesus is real”
It’s my prayer that HE would become famous. That HIS story and power would be made known to the nations. That a relationship with HIM would be something you consider or seek out for yourself.
Trust me a relationship with HIM will drastically change you’re life. It’s not something I have to do, a relationship with Jesus is something I desire and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else this world has to offer.
Have you given up on church or religion?
Why not try a relationship with Jesus instead?
