Dead in sin. Alive in Christ! (pt 3)
Looking back, I realize those nudges were the Holy Spirit trying to guide me to the truth. The nudge was a call to acknowledge the Creator I know exists, but tried to find Him in other ways that were keeping me spiritually enslaved. Jesus was calling me, and Scripture confirms that no one goes to him on their own, so God draws us to Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life. My unsettled spirit was a sign that my worldly pursuits, even noble ones, could not fill the void that only a true relationship with God could.
Therefore, though I remain in this body still as a black woman; my heart is changed. I now think differently. Behave differently. Speak differently. Walk differently. My faith in Christ is not part of who I am; it IS who I am. My old self was crucified with Christ, and my new identity is secured in him as a child of God, rather than in worldly identities. I’ve come to realize that the desire for external acknowledgement is a symptom of a deeper need—the very need to acknowledge God for who He is as Creator of all things, provider, and sustainer of life. We fight so hard to be seen, heard, and accepted, but that battle only shows how desperately we truly need Him, yet we refuse to come to Him through Christ.
To anyone who feels unseen, unheard, or trapped in darkness, there is light. This light is Jesus. He has overcome the darkness. It was in surrendering to the truth that I was able to fully acknowledge God through Jesus. The very void you are feeling is to be filled by God, not the world. He is your provider. He shows you mercy. Compassion. Patience. Love. Discipline. He acknowledges you and accepts you. He gives you a purpose. He gives you your identity. He is why you have breath in your body.
God is drawing you to Christ to save you from His wrath. We live in a fallen world that is no longer in its original state of perfection. Because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience, the world is now marked by sin, suffering, and decay. All of humanity became separated from God due to this inherited sin. God had a plan in place from the beginning to restore us back to Him, so in His love, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take on the punishment we deserve for our sinful nature. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and the blood that was shed satisfied God’s righteous anger. Jesus died, was buried, then resurrected, and ascended to heaven where he sits at the right hand of God, our heavenly Father, awaiting his second return to earth. The wages of sin is death, but belief in Jesus is eternal life.
Thus, repent and turn to Christ for the kingdom of heaven is near. Scripture tells us that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you are saved.
Morgan