Why am I a Christian?

Hey lovely people!

Today I'll be sharing something that was very heavy on my heart when I woke up this morning. So last night, I had a dream in which my siblings and I were having this conversation which is the title of this post "Why am I a Christian?". I remember my response was something along these lines "I am a christian because I am accepted, I did not do anything to earn God's love but yet he chose to save me". "God loves me just as I am. In him, my past doesn't matter". "He keeps coming through for me in the darkest times, in situations I never thought I'll make it through". So I woke up this morning with a fresh awareness of God's love because even though it was me making those statements in my dream, I believe it was God talking through me reminding me that He loves me! I remember reading somewhere that the difference between Christianity and other religions is that it's the only religion where we see God reaching down to man and not man trying to reach up to God. I like to say christianity is not a religion but a relationship; it's a love story about grace and mercy. 

So I'll like to throw that same question at you guys too, why are you a christian? It's really something to ponder about. Are you a christian just because you were born into a christian home? I mean that's how I started off, my parents are christians so I grew up being a christian. But it got to a point where I began experiencing God for myself. From a very young age, I just had a passion to know more about God so I sought him diligently and I would have dreams where God would review future events to me. That's my own testimony, what's yours? I know some of you may be like "but Dara, I don't have dreams or visions or hear God speak, maybe I'm not really a true christian.." One thing I'll like to say is that your experience/encounter with God may not be anything spectacular but that doesn't mean God doesn't speak to you. God is always speaking, we just don't pay enough attention. We get so caught up in the busyness of our daily lives that we tend to ignore the subtle voice of God. God speaks in ways which may not be so magnificent, it could be through songs, people, or even happenings in our lives. I remember last week, I was feeling a bit down just because I felt like I haven't been making much progress in life. I just felt like I had to be doing more with my life. I believe this feelings were coming from a place of anxiety because I have been looking for campus jobs and summer internships just so I can have more money in my bank account and of course gain more experience in my field to make me more marketable in future. So for the first few days of that week, I was going through a mini-depression and just a feeling of "worthlessness". I was going to text someone and start lamenting but I remembered something Joyce Meyer said "before you go to the phone, go to the throne". So I decided to open up my devotional and guess what?! It was just the word I needed. The devotional was about being satisfied in God and how material things don't satisfy. After reading it, a few songs also came to mind; Israel Houghton's "All we want and all we need is found in Jesus" and Hillsong's "Christ is enough", the parts which say "Christ is my reward and all of my devotion" and the chorus "Christ is enough for me, everything I need is in you". God was speaking to me through those songs reminding me that all my satisfaction comes from Him. I can have more money in my account and get the internship I so desire and still not be satisfied. I was also reminded about something my brother said on our way back from church one Sunday as we were talking about the sermon preached by the guest pastor. He was like "God doesn't owe me anything, the fact that I'm saved is enough. Even if God doesn't give me anything again in this life, the fact that I'm saved is enough". Earlier this week as well, a young lady I follow on FB also said something similar that resonated with me "Even if He stopped giving me anything the fact I'm eternally saved is enough- He's not my bank account, my shop, my school, my husband/child producer- He's My GOD, Lord first before anything else and I'm submitting to His Lordship over my life". These statements were just so powerful and I made a commitment to learn to be satisfied in God. I know that God knows everything I desire and that as a good father, He'll give me everything I need and more as I continue to trust Him and be steadfast in Him.

So my assignment for you today as you ponder about the question "Why am I a Christian?" is that you should pay more attention to hearing and experiencing God everyday of your life because He is constantly speaking. Pay attention to happenings in your life, pay attention to worship songs you wake up with that just stick in your head, pay attention to things you come across in your devotional, your facebook, your instagram, pay attention to things people say to you especially the people God has placed in your life because God may just be speaking through them. Be intentional about seeking God, spend time in the word, in prayer, and in fellowship with other believers regularly. These are the things that make your spirit more sensitive to God. My prayer for us today is that we become more aware of God's presence as we diligently seek Him. 

"You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13" (ESV)