Finding Jesus, Again

Finding Jesus, Again
By Miranda Olexa

I’ve known about Jesus my whole life. I went to church with my family on most Sundays. My best friend would take me to youth group with her on Wednesday nights and to church camp in the summer. I knew who Jesus was and what he did for me, but I had just a basic understanding and no solid foundation. I eventually grew up and left high school and my friends. More tragedy struck, and instead of drawing closer to Jesus, I ran the opposite direction. Looking back on it now, I know that He was always with me. He never stopped guiding me, protecting me, and saving me over and over. Even when my faith in Him wavered, He remained. Now here I am striving to be a Godly woman, a Godly wife, a Godly mother, and I can’t help but think, if He was with me even when I wasn’t living for Him, how much greater would it be to live for Jesus, to walk in a path that is righteous to Him every day?

1 John 2:3–6 says, “This is how we know that we know Him: if we keep His commands. The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and yet doesn’t keep His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, truly in him the love of God is made complete. This is how we know we are in Him: The one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He walked.”

I’m not going to lie, reading this scripture, and then understanding it, was like having ice cold water splashed in my face. It revealed that, yeah I knew who Jesus was, and I knew of the sacrifice He made for me, but knowing Him and living for Him are two completely different things. I was a liar and did not have the truth. But there is good news! The scripture says that whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God is made complete. How glorious is that? We know we are in Him when we remain in Jesus, walk as He walked, and live a faithful, Christlike life.

I encourage you to look back, think about the areas where God has moved in your life or when the Holy Spirit was guiding you, but you didn’t realize it or appreciate it at the time. And now think about what your future looks like if you surrender yourself to Jesus. How much greater would your blessings be? How much more could you bless others through those blessings? I challenge you to find ways to incorporate worship and praise for Him in your daily life. Read the bible, everyday, even for just a little bit. Soak in God’s word and learn from it. Pray—pray when you’re driving, pray when you’re washing dishes, pray when you’re at your wit’s end, and you just don’t think you can take one more person needing something from you. Put Jesus first—over your own flesh, in your marriage and other relationships, when you’re raising your children. Then reflect on your life and watch how God is moving through you. Your life will change. Lives around you will change. Because, like we just read, if you keep His word, live out His commands, the love of God is made complete in you. How sweet is that? It’s not going to be easy; we read in the Word countless times that proclaiming Jesus’s name and living a life for Him is distinctly not easy. But I promise you, the reward far outweighs the cost.

My prayer today is that you find your way back to Jesus, like I did. That even if you know of Him, that you strive to live a life for Him and like Him—build a relationship with Him and live faithfully.