Chelsea Guest       

The greatest thing that ever happened in my life is…

After several years of inner struggle, I finally allowed Jesus to save me and give me an assurance about where I would spend eternity.

What my life was like before Christ.

I was only 7 when I got saved, so my lifestyle did not “change dramatically”; however, my constant anxiety about eternity had been settled. Previously, at the age of 4, I attended an old-fashioned, camp-style revival meeting. My older brother went forward during the invitation to get saved, and as many younger siblings do, I copied him by going forward for salvation as well. However, I had very little understanding of what that actually meant. Later my parents were informed that I had “prayed a prayer”, but even I couldn’t remember exactly what had happened. Shortly after that night I began to doubt my experience, but my family reminded me that I had gotten saved that night. Pretty soon I stopped asking questions and tried to just convince myself that I really had gotten saved.
For 3 years I grew even more anxious as I sat through Bible classes and chapel hours at my Christian school, especially when salvation was discussed. By that point, I had a clear understanding of how to become a Christian. But whenever others asked about my story, I would simply recite “I got saved when I was 4 at a revival meeting”, but even I knew that was not true. I really wanted to get the issue settled, but my pride would not let me. I would tell myself, “I can’t get saved now! Everybody thinks I’m already saved. And I’d have a lot of explaining to do if I got ‘saved again’!” But then I would wonder, was it worth the risk to not know for sure?

How I came to know Christ.

After church on a Wednesday evening a friend’s parents drove me home. I was very rambunctious and disobedient, and my parents later found out about it. Before I left for school the next morning, my mom told me that I was going to get in trouble once I got home. Needless to say, I worried about it all day at school. Suddenly the thought occurred to me…if I tell my parents that I was acting disobedient because I wasn’t saved after all, then they would understand and I wouldn’t get in trouble! And it would give me a chance to settle the matter for good. Later, when I tried the excuse on my parents however, they knew I was trying to get out of my punishment. I was still disciplined for my behavior that I had portrayed the previous day. After that matter was settled, they sat me down in my room and asked if I had really meant it when I said I wasn’t saved. I admitted that salvation was an issue with which I had struggled ever since I began to understand it, and that I wanted to take care of it right then. Long story short, mom and dad showed me what God’s Word said about salvation (even though I had already memorized many of the verses!) I then asked Jesus to save me, once and for all! I will never forget the immediate peace that swept over me and the relief in just knowing that I would get to spend eternity in heaven.

What life is now like with Christ.

I am forever thankful for verses that God gives to us for reassurance, especially since I tend to battle with worry in general. I can’t imagine living my Christian life without knowing for sure that I am on my way to heaven. God has clearly given us promises in Scripture that we Christians can claim as our own. My favorite one is I John 5:13; “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” The fact that I can know is far better than hoping or dreaming that I can know, or in merely thinking that I have eternal life.