Growing up, it seemed as if all the cards had been dealt for me to become the perfect Christian. I was raised by two godly parents, and never questioned if I was loved or not. I went to church, youth group, camp, you name it. By the end of middle school, I had personally read the entire Bible. What’s more, my family even moved overseas to become missionaries! All this, yet I was so far from the life God desired for me. Going into high school, the comparison game began. I looked down on my peers, and always searched for ways to convince myself I was better. Because I set such high expectations for myself, I was burdened by shame over hidden sins that made me fear I would be despised if they came to light. So I judged my good works against those of others, while refusing to acknowledge any personal faults. I thought my Christian heritage and knowledge of God elevated me over others, when in reality I was just as much of a slave to my sins and fears.

Even though I knew all about Jesus, I didn’t have a full understanding yet of what it meant to truly follow Him. This pattern began to change during my junior year of high school. Returning to the United States for a year, I attended a “coming to manhood” event through my church. During this experience, we were taught that being a man meant being a servant. Laying down oneself for the sake of others. Who demonstrated this perfectly? Jesus Christ. From the seat of highest glory, He chose to become a man and served the lowest of people. He discarded the honor and praise that were rightfully His, and died on a criminal’s cross for sinners like me. That weekend, God revealed that I had been living in service to myself rather than to Jesus. Freedom from my sin, shame and self-consciousness was available, all that was required was for me to lay them down before Jesus and trust in Him.

It is still a daily struggle to choose Jesus over evil, but I can find the confidence and strength in Him to lead me through my trials. I am defined not by my achievements or mistakes, but by Jesus’ sacrifice that allowed me to become a redeemed child of God, which brings me great comfort. Now, I want everybody to know the saving power of Jesus to bring complete forgiveness and freedom.