Wednesday, April 5: Galatians 1- What's your journey in Christ been like?.

Paul provides a brief picture of his early years in Christ… time in Arabia, then Damascus. Then he took a two-week trip to Jerusalem to check in with Peter and James. His early years were spent with the Lord.  I wonder what that time was like?  From the book of Acts I know about his time on the Damascus Road and Ananias praying for him (Acts 9).  Then his later travels planting churches.

Reading Paul’s story caused me to ponder mine. We all have a story. And for believers in Jesus our story includes how God brought us to faith in Jesus.

As part of an elder leadership process my church elders and I are completing each of us had to write a spiritual autobiography. Writing my spiritual autobiography took some pondering thought, walking through my life from earliest remembrances to the present day. It included my coming to faith in Jesus but so much more. When I put mine together I chose to write about my early years, my time of conversion and my journey following God’s leading as I grew in my faith in Jesus.

It was a wonderful exercise, I heartily recommend everyone take the time to think through and write out their spiritual autobiography. There were so many places and times that God spoke into my life leading me to my moment of conversion. Then there were many more times after my conversion leading me to where I am today. It is so easy to forget all that God has done; and if not forgotten I easily push them to the side. By taking the time to recall my life and to see the many God-sightings throughout my life was wonderful, encouraging and life giving.

As part of our elder process we each told our spiritual autobiography to the elders at a meeting taking between 20 and 30 minutes each. The months that we told our stories I was touched by every story. God worked with each of us in different yet profound ways through ups and downs, in times of faithfulness and sin.

It was wonderful to hear God’s story in ours. Hearing Paul this morning brought back many of my own encounters with the Lord.

If you haven’t ever taken the time to pondered how you came to faith, then I encourage you to take some time over the next few days to do so…

Thank You, Lord, for my story. For the ways you worked in my life from the moment of my conception till you brought me to faith in Jesus. Thank You, Lord, for the ways You continually work in my life to bring about Your will. I rest in You. Halleluiah. Amen.