When God Turns Your Life Around: It’s Not You, It’s Him
An abstract of Jim Congdon’s sermon on September 15, 2024 in the Galatians series. Watch the sermon video here.
Have you ever had something happen in your life that you just can't explain? Maybe it was a big change or a moment that turned everything upside down. If you're exploring faith or wondering about God, this story might speak to you.
The Unexpected Turn
Imagine you're on a road trip with your friends. You're the leader, feeling pretty good about yourself. Suddenly, a bright light appears out of nowhere and knocks you to the ground. A voice speaks to you, and in that moment, everything changes. That's kind of what happened to a guy named Paul a long time ago.
Paul was a religious leader who really didn't like the early Christians. He thought they were wrong and even tried to hurt them. But then, on a trip to a place called Damascus, he had this crazy experience. He saw Jesus (who he thought was dead) and heard His voice. It totally flipped his world upside down.
Not Just a Sales Pitch
Now, you might think, "Okay, so Paul had a weird experience and changed his mind. Maybe someone convinced him or he went to some kind of religious school." But Paul says that's not what happened at all. He writes, "I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ."
In other words, Paul is saying, "Don't look at me. This is all God's doing."
The Desert Experience
After this wild encounter, you'd think Paul would rush off to tell everyone or go learn more about Jesus. But nope. He says he went to a place called Arabia. Now, we're not talking about the Saudi Arabia we know today. This was a desert region south of Damascus.
Paul spent almost three years there. We don't know exactly what happened, but it seems like it wasn't easy. He might have tried to share his new faith and faced a lot of rejection. He even had to escape over a city wall in a basket to avoid being arrested!
Why would God lead Paul to such a tough place right after his big moment? Well, it turns out God often does this with people He wants to use in big ways.
God's Desert Training Program
Think about some other famous people in the Bible:
Moses spent 40 years in the desert before leading the Israelites out of Egypt.
Elijah went to the desert after a big victory and heard God's "still small voice" there.
John the Baptist lived in the desert until it was time for him to start preaching.
Even Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness before starting His ministry.
It seems God likes to take His "favorite children" to tough places. Why? Maybe it's because when everything is stripped away, we can see and hear God more clearly.
What This Means for Us
So, what does all this mean for you and me? A few things:
God can turn anyone's life around: If God could change Paul from someone who hurt Christians to someone who loved Jesus more than anything, He can change anyone's heart.
Big changes often come in unexpected ways: Paul wasn't looking to change his life. God surprised him. Sometimes the biggest moments in our faith journey come when we least expect them.
Difficult times can be times of growth: Just because you're going through a tough time doesn't mean God has abandoned you. He might be using that "desert" to teach you something important.
It's okay if you can't explain everything: Paul's experience was so powerful that he could only say, "It's a God thing." Sometimes faith means embracing mystery.
Modern-Day "God Things"
Paul's story isn't just ancient history. Today, people all over the world are having experiences they can only describe as "God things."
For example, in some countries where it's dangerous to be a Christian, people are having dreams about Jesus. They've never read a Bible or met a Christian, but they're seeing visions that lead them to faith.
One man in India was so against Christianity that he burned a Bible in public. But then he had a vision of the whole world in flames, and a figure in white asked him, "Why are you burning my word?" That experience led him to become a Christian and tell others about Jesus.
Finding Your "God Thing"
Now, you might be thinking, "That's great for Paul and these other people, but I've never had a dramatic experience like that." That's okay! Not everyone has a sudden, life-changing moment. For some people, faith grows slowly over time.
The important thing is to look for those moments in your life where you can say, "You know what? I didn't plan this. I didn't make this happen. This must be a God thing."
Maybe it was:
An unexpected kindness from a stranger
A coincidence that seems too perfect to be random
A sudden change of heart about something important
A feeling of peace in a difficult situation
An answer to a prayer you didn't expect
Whatever it is, when you recognize those moments, don't be shy about sharing them. Your story might be exactly what someone else needs to hear to start their own faith journey.
Wrapping It Up
Life can be confusing, especially when it comes to faith. But here's the good news: you don't have to have it all figured out. Even Paul, one of the most important figures in Christian history, basically said, "Don't look at me for answers. This is all God's doing."
So if you're exploring faith, or if you're going through a tough time, or if you're just curious about this whole "God thing," remember:
God can work in unexpected ways
Difficult times can lead to growth
It's okay to embrace mystery
Your story matters
Keep your eyes open for those moments you can't explain. They might just be the beginning of your own "God thing" story.