Krist grew up far away from Christianity but somehow Jesus found him and he wants to share this journey with everyone. He works in the Washington DC area and enjoys going to church and hanging out with friends.But in the Hindu religion, we are all stubborn, which I think is from the many rules and regulation. Because of them, we think we are the superior beings on the planet. I don’t know why since the days of my Childhood onwards, I had a strange feeling that there is something out there which can break all the rules. Like maybe God has created us to be part of Him. But in my religion, there were no answers to my questions. All I was supposed to do was follow the instructions or manual to get praise or blessing from God.
I had a question at my back of my head. "If we don’t obey god or if He created us and we turn into an evil person, then why did God create us?"
My journey started with my religion, which sometimes makes sense and sometimes it don’t, but it’s my family tradition and culture, which I can’t fight back. And even If I did try that, my family would fight back at me, as if I am possessed. Many don't really want to know the what would happen if they had to do the same thing. It’s horrible, and with parents like mine you have no idea...
Like I said, since my childhood, I had a feeling that there is something out there which can help me to make my life more sensible and have meaning. My middle and high school were Catholic schools, so that was something which really inspired me to learn more about Jesus too. But I was restricted from learning more about the meaning of life due to my family boundaries. My life went on and all the questions in my mind built up with no answers. It created a block in my head which asked me, “Is it true or false..?” With all my building blocks in my head, my head was totally blocked with all the customs and religions of my country.
Frankly, my family believes all the religions: Hindu, Muslim, Christians, etc. I tried everything. I went to a mosque to get my answer, but no answers, and I went to Church to seek my doubts, but in vain.
I was told that there is a reason for everything, and that was the only thing that was given to me, which I consider my first step to knowing about God.
My college graduation day came and I was told that with all the education I possessed I can be the leader or ruler of the planet and I can do anything I want to. But that doesn't make any sense. My family’s relatives were back stabbing my parents and the people whom I loved, so I prayed to all the gods and goddesses of the Hindu Religion and also pray to Muslim God and finally to Jesus to make my life not to be so complicated.
It took me a while to get the result from each and every God. But nothing came up. I was lost and I felt like breaking my relationships with my parents and the people whom I loved (Not entirely, But I was like a flesh without a soul). I was willing to do anything. My heart was wounded with different things, But I kept on going, because “Everything happens for a reason..." With that in my mind, I was totally devastated in having a relationship with God. The Hindu prayers and offerings didn't make any since. I was hopeless.
I really needed a break from my education to know something about God. Finally, I got something in my head to pray to Jesus, to seek the answer I was looking for.
I graduated and I was in job market, but I needed something more than that. I remembered there was something out there that is calling me, and I didn't know why. So that's when I finally decided to pray to Jesus to remove all blocks and to help me find the path that lead to Him.
After a few weeks, I got a advice from best friend in India to apply as a student in the United States which could help me to get out of my mess, but I totally forget that it was Jesus who planted that seed within me, especially with my whole religious barrier to asking questions. I was so excited to apply, but had to I fight with my family to go to the US for further studies and to get a job. The most puzzling question was, "How did I got so much strength to fight with my family?"
I was so eager to come to the USA that I didn’t listen to anyone, not even God, because I was excited like a baby getting his tricycle for the first time. But the enjoyment lasted for only a moment till I landed at the JFK airport where there was no one to receive me and I don’t know anyone.
I remembered I should have listened to God for a second. I started praying to Jesus to forgive me and to help me out, then a guy from nowhere came up to help me out. He helped me find a friend I was going to live with in NYC. Then I found that Jesus was with me always, even though I didn't notice Him.
My first few months was horrible, but I was not worried because I knew that Jesus was with me. I handled myself pretty good because that was the first time I ever came out of my house, which felt really good. No boundaries, no back stabbing, no pushing. I really like that and I really thanked God for everything!
But my troubles are not over yet. Even Jesus has trouble with Satan. And I am just a common man, but these troubles help me grow. I don’t even come close to what Jesus has suffered. I've had to deal with different places, different situations, and different relationships with people. I've even been homeless for a couple of months. But God gave me friends, a place to sleep, peace of mind, and a Christian family who supports my spiritual growth. God's given me great pastors and church leaders and times to serve. He's given me good jobs too.
But the best part is just having a relationship with Jesus Christ. It's the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me in my whole life. Even better than the foot I've eaten or the house I've lived in.
Since my first arrival in the USA till now, God is shaping me with different experiences. I many good Christian friends in NYC who helped me start my first steps with Jesus. Now I have an emotional and mental relationship with God. Even through it sounds and feels good the journey was really heavy on me. I never gave up on God and He didn’t give up on me either and that really helped me to know more about Him. Each and every step I took was like a lessons from a professor teaching me how I should live my life and what should I do in my life. And I'm not worrying about all the questions so much any more. Those are getting answered so that I don't even notice them anymore.
From feeling like a soulless person, now I can say I have a soul that Jesus gave to me. He is truly God and doesn't have those boundaries and regulations that tied me up before. He is love and I am truly loving Him.
Want to find out more differences between Hinduism and Christianity? Check out New Birth or Rebirth (aff link) by Ravi Zacharias.
Image by: MikeBehnken