It’s Not That Complicated…

Have you ever tried to explain Christianity? The first time that I tried to explain it, I FAILED MISERABLY.  A thousand scriptures and inspirational quotes flooded my mind. I eagerly babbled off some jargon that probably sounded more like a motivational speech than an explanation of my spiritual beliefs. I walked away with a sinking feeling; I didn’t know what Christianity was.

I had reduced Christianity to a ritual. I attended Sunday service, paid tithes and volunteered in ministry…therefore I was a Christian. And oh yeah, I stopped partying and made new Christian friends.  I changed my style of dress and met with fellow believers to discuss Jesus over lattes. I also learned to talk like a Christian. I swapped curse words for Christian clichés (Amen, Praise God and  Thank You Jesus were my favorites).  Needless to say, after a few months of this I was unfashionable, bored, miserable, and empty.

It was time to reevaluate some things. After an exhausting weekend of volunteering, I came home and collapsed on my bed. I dramatically screamed, “God, Is this as good as it gets?” Yes, I had a real Jack Nicholson moment. But it was a valid question. If Christianity is so wonderful, then why was I empty?  I wish I could say that I heard the voice of God in that moment. Nope, didn’t happen. But I came to a realization, I didn’t understand my salvation and I definitely didn’t get Christianity. On this desperate day, I began my search for the truth.

My journey has been interesting. There have been ups and down, but this is the nature of life. I can firmly say that I have an understanding of salvation. It’s no longer a conglomeration of inspirational quotes and random scriptures. Salvation is simply the gift that changed my life.

Arizona R.