Hannah's Story: A Story of Faith Maturing
posted by Hannah Farver on 07/13/11
Category: Myself; ; 15 comments
I became a Christian when I was nine. Really. Sometimes people question if little kids can truly come to faith in Christ, whether they're old enough to grasp all of the details of what it means to be a Christian. But I knew enough. I'd memorized James 2:10, which says, "Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." And I knew that the price of sin needed to be paid. My little nine-year-old heart was broken. Tears streaming down my face, I curled up on the couch with my mom and prayed, asking Jesus to forgive me.
But the story doesn't end there. Truly, none of our stories do. Coming to know Jesus is just the beginning. From that point on, He teaches us. He takes us by the hand and shows us what it means to belong to Him. Because of sin, our minds and hearts are bent and twisted. Jesus saves us, then He works to break the bent parts and make them straight. Sometimes this breaking of our bentness is painful.
Jesus doesn't enjoy this painful part. He wants us to grow and change, but He doesn't take pleasure in leading us through sorrow. Since coming to know Jesus, I have walked through valleys. An eating disorder. Season of unbelief. Anger at God that my life isn't always like I want it. Sins like pride and foolishness.
But the hope of the gospel—the good news that stirred our hearts when we first believed—is still important here. It speaks of hope. If Jesus died to save us, He's sure as anything going to finish what He started.
And He promises that one day all the painful parts will be over.
I take encouragement from John 16:33. It promises a story complete with tears and the occasional burning down of dreams, but also a happy ending forever: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
He has overcome. It's happened. It's happening. We have hope for a happy ending (...or is it really a glorious new beginning?)
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on Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 8:19 am
on Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 9:20 am
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on Friday, April 13, 2012 at 6:46 am