I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
-I John 5:13, NIV
When I was a teenager and a young man, I remember having anxiety about my eternal salvation. Was I saved or not?
I do not have that sort of anxiety anymore. In fact, I have not had that in a long while… perhaps decades.
Going through the fire of suffering has a way of changing you.
An unexpected gift of my dark season was a deeper relationship with God. I no longer doubt whether I am saved or not. It does not enter my mind as I cannot fathom not being saved after walking through such a dark valley with my Lord. We have too much history together 😉
This is part of what God does–He redeems our suffering. He uses injustice to drive us to Him.
Even though I know God was not the author of my suffering, He redeemed it and drew me nearer than ever before through it. All I needed to do was to trust Him and choose not to walk away because I did not “feel it” in the darkest of times.
That is the sort of faith He honors: The one that chooses Him despite natural circumstances.
God is a good bet.
And I am so grateful this day for the unexpected gift of assurance of salvation for I know Heaven is a Person, and I know one day I will behold Him face to face!
