Easter Reflections

Last Sunday, Pastor Kyle preached about the importance of telling your story (which is synonymous, he said, with the story of Christ) and he challenged everyone to tell their story to at least one person before Easter.

I didn't meet the challenge.

I wrestled with the question all week long. What is my story? Though I'd just written my autobiography, I wasn't sure if that was the same as my testimony. What was the significance of Christ in my life? I was 7 years old when I was saved.  I had no dramatic before and after picture of my life. No powerful story to tell. Perhaps you can tell I have struggled with this question for a long time.


But I believe I reached some clarity on it after hearing Kyle tell his story in church this morning. It wasn't so much the facts of his story, but some of the questions he asked afterward. He asked, "What is your purpose or calling and how are you living it out?" Well, I know that! I thought. I know my calling and purpose and my story is the journey of how I arrived at it. I struggled to see the role that faith played in my story, though I knew that it had. I knew that without my faith, I wouldn't be the person I am today, but how to phrase it? Perhaps it is because I downplayed my faith in my autobiography. I emphasized the purpose, but not where the purpose came from.

I searched for before and after connections in my life--not just before 7 years old, but also in adolescence and particularly the last four years of my life. Because the thing about growing up Christian, is that your entire life is a picture of sanctification not just a singular moment where you parted ways with your sin and underwent dramatic transformation. My walk of faith has definitely been a journey. I walk forward ten steps, and take a few steps back. Sometimes I encounter dry spells. Sometimes I make decisions without even thinking to pray. Some days I am overflowing with joy. Other days life is hard to bear. I could never claim to be perfect, but the struggle to pursue God is worth it. While thinking about these things, I found that my before&afters were with&withouts instead.

Without Christ, I was a drifter. With Christ, I am anchored.
Without Christ, I was a wanderer. With Christ, I have direction.
Without Christ, I was aimless. With Christ, I walk purposefully.

Since I became a Christian at a young age, I feel like I've always had Christ. But there were times when I tried to live without Him. These are the times I must draw upon when I endeavor to tell my story of the sanctifying work, He has done in my life. For a while, I thought I didn't have a story, but I've learned that I just get to tell mine a little differently, and that's okay.