I’m such a fan of before-and-after stories.
You know the part in the home improvement show where they show you a photo of a dilapidated house and then reveal the renovated and transformed finished product? I love it!
We even do a bit of transformation on the INC Media program, Blueprint, where we show the before and after of a worship building’s transformation.
But my favorites are the changes where you see the impact God has had in a person’s life. Hearing them talk about their lives before finding God, how they found God, and how their lives have changed are always great reminders of how God can make a difference in our lives if we let Him.
Maybe you’re wondering how you can experience this type of transformation? Or perhaps you’re currently in your search for God and have hit a dead end, and are now wondering how to move forward? Or maybe you know what you need, you just haven’t found it yet?
Well, here are four ways people have found God and how it changed their lives to give you inspiration.
Four Ways People Have Found God in their Life
I’m 100% certain there are more than four ways people have found God. But I know you are busy. So here are four I wanted to highlight in this blog.
And when you have a moment, check out the Stories Of Faith page on incmedia.org if you want a longer list of stories!
1. In Search of Guidance
At a time when people are turning to life coaches and self-help books for guidance, Nicholas found his in the words of God. But, like many young people today, Nicholas didn’t grow up with a strong religious background. He even considered himself an atheist for a while.
2. In Search of Real Answers
There are a lot of skeptics out there when it comes to the Bible. Maybe it’s because they’ve been disappointed time and time again. Or perhaps they’ve never been taught the truth found inside the Holy Scriptures. Unfortunately, that type of disappointment can get heavy, leading many to give up accepting that maybe the truth isn’t out there.
But then you meet people like Devon, who, despite growing up with a religious background as a member of the Baptist church, was not willing to settle for half-truths. He wanted real answers. God’s answers. And he was determined to find them. And when he finally found them, he saw his life change.
“I was looking for real answers. God is my reason. God is my focus. God is my love. God is the father I never really had.”
To fully understand the true peace Devon found, you’ve got to watch his story of faith.
3. In Search of God’s Truth
While people, in general, are becoming less and less religious, some are intensely committed to living their life according to God’s words. That type of commitment drives them not only to dedicate themselves to their religious practices but to seek out God’s truth. No matter what it takes.
Take, for example, Sandy E’addy. She grew up in a religious family with a strict Catholic upbringing.
“We (weren’t) allowed to come into (the) church unless we bowed down and made the sign of the cross. We always had to pray a different prayer like the Hail Mary. I believed there was a God, and there is a God.”
But while many would be content with knowing there is a God, Sandy wanted more. She wanted to know God’s truth.
“I wasn’t going to stop having the faith that God will show me [His truth], and He did. And nobody can take it away from me. God is awesome. God is my all in all.”
Watch Sandy’s story on Stories of Faith. Don’t forget to bring a box of tissue with you.
4. In Search of Salvation
For most people getting to heaven is something they hope for. And for many, the only requirement to get there is simply to be a good person. But what if it isn’t? That’s what Kevin Johnson wondered after watching a movie.
He had always believed in the true God. And he was intrigued by what he heard during a Bible study in the Church Of Christ. But as a young dad and aspiring boxer in Las Vegas, being part of a church and salvation just wasn’t high on his priority list at the time—that is, until he watched a movie about the end of the world.
“I cried tears, man. Like I gotta do something. I want to be saved too, you know what I mean?”
Kevin called his friend and asked what he needed to do next. And the rest you can say is history!
Kevin is still boxing these days, but he’s also a deacon in the Church Of Christ congregation in Las Vegas. It’s such a great before and after story, and you can watch it on the Blueprint episode in Las Vegas.
Getting to Know the True God
There’s not a relationship that matters as deeply or shapes us as thoroughly as the one we have with God.
For example, in the stories I’ve shared, the individual learned who the true God is and how to have a relationship with Him. In hearing God’s words, taught to them in the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ), they’ve learned:
- What God expects from them
- How to have their prayers answered
- How they should live their lives
And much, much more. In learning these things, the trajectory of their lives has shifted dramatically.
My favorite example of this is Sister Sandy E’addy’s story. As a young mom in the 1970s, hearing God’s words and finding the biblical Church that would teach her truth has shaped her in every aspect of her life. She didn’t have to continue going from church to church trying to find biblical guidance.
And while the world around her has changed enormously, God remains the center of her life.
Ready to Experience the Benefits of Knowing the True God?
Maybe you’re reading this, thinking. . . “I’m already there. I already know God, and I’ve spent my whole life worshipping him in the church I grew up in.” Or maybe you’ve decided that having a relationship with God is a personal thing. Something you can do on your own and “feel’ your way through.
There are a lot of people who feel that way. But what if they’re wrong? Or, more importantly, what if you’re wrong?
What if the relationship you have isn’t with the true God but with YOUR own idea of who God is? It’s a scary thought, right?! A lifetime of building a relationship only to find out it’s based on a lie?
So, instead of wondering whether or not you have a relationship with the true God, maybe it’s time to understand for sure (without a shadow of a doubt) who God is and how to find Him. If you’re ready to join Nicholas, Kevin, Devon, Sandy, and the countless others who have experienced the benefits of knowing God, set up a time to speak with a minister of the Church Of Christ.
About the Writer:
Renezen Benedicto is that introvert you probably saw in the corner reading articles on her phone. She worked in Human Resources for over eight years until she found her true purpose of sharing God’s words to people worldwide. Today she’s a staff writer at INC Media Services. When she’s not working on her computer or her phone, she’s usually out running in San Francisco, volunteering in the community, or trying something that makes her uncomfortable, like socializing and boxing.
