Who Jesus Really Is: Why I Spent Too Many Years Getting It Wrong (And How You Can Get It Right)
Are you tired of feeling like God is angry with you? Many people struggle with misconceptions about who Jesus really is. After 25 years of getting it wrong, I discovered the truth about God’s character that changed everything. Here’s my personal testimony of finding a real relationship with Jesus and how you can experience His love too.
My 25-Year Journey of Misunderstanding God’s Character
For 25 years, I completely misunderstood who Jesus really is. I saw Him as a judgmental figure who was punishing me for my faults, rather than the loving, supportive presence He actually is. This harmful misconception – often shaped by religious traditions and what others told me about God – kept me from experiencing a personal relationship with Jesus for decades.
Those 25 years were filled with drug addiction, sexual sin, and countless other struggles. I was convinced my choices made God angry and that I was nothing but a disappointment to Him. But this belief was a devastating lie from the devil. The reality? God’s love was constant – He wasn’t angry with me, not even a little bit.
When I Finally Discovered God’s True Nature
I’m not perfect, and I’m definitely not religious. But here’s what I know for certain about finding Jesus: even in the depths of my most sinful, shameful life, the moment I genuinely prayed, “God, I’m sorry. I messed this (my life) up so bad. Please help me. I need you,” He met me exactly where I was.
He made it crystal clear that He was there – and had always been there.
My understanding of Him had been so wrong, and I’m incredibly grateful for that life-changing realization about God’s character.
Common Misconceptions About Jesus That Keep People Distant
Maybe you’ve heard similar stories about God. Perhaps well-meaning people emphasized God’s wrath before mentioning His incredible love. You might have grown up hearing more about what God hates than what brings Him joy – encountering God primarily through the lens of rules, judgment, and consequences.
These misconceptions about God create barriers to experiencing His true nature.
What I Learned About the Real Jesus Through Scripture
After years of truly getting to know Him through Bible study, I’ve discovered that while those people may have meant well, they painted a completely distorted picture of who Jesus really is.
The real Jesus? He’s nothing like what I expected – and that discovery was the most liberating news I’ve ever received about Christian faith.
Meet the Real Jesus: What the Bible Actually Says About God’s Love
When you read the Bible for yourself – not through religious movies or church traditions, but through the authentic accounts written by people who actually knew Jesus – you encounter someone remarkably different from popular misconceptions about Jesus.
How Jesus Really Treated People: Examples of God’s Grace
This Jesus ate dinner with tax collectors (the most hated people of His time). He allowed a prostitute to anoint His feet with expensive perfume while religious leaders watched in horror. He told stories that both entertained crowds and made them think deeply. He got frustrated with hypocrites but showed incredible patience and compassion toward people who were genuinely struggling.
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” – John 1:14
Jesus Chose to Enter Our Messy World
Think about this: Jesus didn’t stay in heaven, sending down judgments and punishments. He came down into our messy, broken world. He experienced exhaustion, hunger, and frustration. He dealt with difficult people, family drama, and friends who constantly misunderstood Him. He knew intimately what it felt like to be misunderstood, rejected, and betrayed.
This is the foundation of God’s love – He chose to experience our humanity.
My Testimony: Finding Jesus in Desperation
I spent 25 years convinced God had given up on me. Two and a half decades believing I had crossed too many lines, made too many mistakes, and disappointed Him beyond any hope of redemption. Twenty-five years of avoiding the very relationship with Jesus that could have saved me from so much unnecessary pain.
The Prayer That Changed My Understanding of God’s Character
But when desperation finally drove me to cry out to Him – not with fancy religious words, but with raw, honest emotion – He was right there waiting. He had been waiting all along.
That simple prayer, “God, I’m sorry. I messed my life up so bad. Please help me. I need you,” transformed everything. Not because my words were perfect, but because my heart was finally open to receive God’s love and grace He had always been offering.
Why Understanding Jesus’s True Character Changes Everything
When I started reading about Jesus for myself instead of relying on other people’s interpretations, my entire perspective on Christian faith shifted. I discovered that God wasn’t angry with me. He wasn’t disappointed. He wasn’t keeping score of my failures.
God’s character revealed that He was actively pursuing me.
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” – John 3:17
He didn’t come as an angry judge with a gavel. He came as a loving Father with open arms. This understanding of who Jesus really is makes all the difference in the world.
The Woman at the Well: A Perfect Example of God’s Love
I’ll never forget when this truth about God’s character really hit me. I was reading about Jesus’s encounter with the woman at the well in John chapter 4. This woman had been married five times and was living with a man who wasn’t her husband. She was a social outcast who drew water during the hottest part of the day to avoid judgment from others.
Jesus could have lectured her about her mistakes or made her feel even more ashamed.
Instead, He simply asked her for a drink of water. He treated her with dignity and respect. He saw past her reputation straight to her heart. By the end of their conversation, she was running back to her town, telling everyone about the man “who told me everything I ever did” – yet somehow made her feel loved instead of condemned.
That’s the real Jesus I had missed for so many years – this is who Jesus really is.
Jesus Specializes in “Hopeless” Cases: Biblical Examples
Maybe you’re reading this Christian testimony thinking, “You don’t know what I’ve done,” or “That might work for other people, but I’m too far gone,” or “Jesus might forgive some mistakes, but not mine.”
I get it. I had those exact same thoughts about finding Jesus.
Biblical Examples of God’s Radical Grace
But here’s what I discovered through Bible study: Jesus specializes in people who think they’re too broken for God.
The woman at the well wasn’t His only focus:
- There was the thief on the cross who got a last-minute promise of paradise
- There was Paul, who persecuted Christians before becoming one of history’s most influential Christian leaders
- There was Peter, who denied even knowing Jesus in a moment of crisis, yet later became a foundational leader of the early church
“I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” – John 10:10
This isn’t about cleaning yourself up before coming to Jesus. This is about Jesus meeting you exactly where you are and helping you discover the abundant life you were always meant to live through God’s love.
How to Start Your Journey: Practical Steps for Finding Jesus
If you’re new to the Bible, or if it’s been years since you’ve opened one, I highly recommend starting with the Gospel of John. It’s one of the four New Testament accounts of Jesus’s life, and John writes like he’s introducing you to his best friend. He focuses on Jesus’s identity and His limitless love for us.
Simple Steps to Develop a Personal Relationship with Jesus
You don’t need to understand everything or have all the answers figured out about Christian faith. Just focus on getting to know Him:
- Read about His interactions with different people
- Notice how He treats outcasts, broken people, and those society has written off
- Pay attention to what He says about Himself
- Observe how different He might be from your misconceptions about Jesus
I believe you’ll be amazed by what you discover about who Jesus really is.
It’s About Relationship, Not Religion
Here’s the game-changing truth about God’s character that took me way too long to understand: Jesus isn’t interested in making you religious. He wants a personal relationship with Jesus. The difference is huge.
Religion vs. Relationship with Jesus
- Religion is often about following rules to earn God’s approval
- Relationship is about connecting with someone who already loves you unconditionally, but loves you too much to leave you unchanged
Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people alive through God’s love.
And if you’re reading this Christian testimony, no matter what you’ve done or where you’ve been, you are not too far gone. You are not too broken. You are not “too anything.”
You are exactly who Jesus really is looking for.
Your Next Step: A Simple Challenge for Finding Jesus
Ready to start your journey of finding Jesus? This week, read John chapters 1-3. Don’t worry about analyzing every detail – just focus on meeting Jesus through Bible study. Pay attention to:
- How He interacts with people
- What He says about Himself
- How different He might be from your preconceptions about God’s character
If You’re Struggling to Believe in God’s Love
And if you find yourself thinking, “This can’t be real” or “This is too good to be true,” remember: that’s exactly how I felt at first too about God’s love. Sometimes the most life-changing truths are the hardest to believe, especially after years of believing lies about yourself and about God.
But it is real. And it is true. And He has been patiently waiting for you to discover who Jesus really is.
What’s Coming Next in This Christian Faith Series
Next week, we’ll explore why Jesus “got His hands dirty” and why that profound truth matters for whatever you’re facing right now in your relationship with Jesus.
Remember: You don’t have to clean yourself up to come to God. Come as you are. He’ll handle the rest through God’s love.
FAQ
Who is Jesus really according to the Bible?
According to Scripture, Jesus is God’s Son who came to earth to demonstrate God’s love, not His anger. He actively pursued relationship with outcasts, sinners, and broken people, showing that God’s character is one of grace and compassion.
How can I have a personal relationship with Jesus?
A personal relationship with Jesus begins with honest prayer and reading about Him in the Bible, particularly the Gospel of John. It’s not about being perfect first – it’s about coming to Him as you are.
What are common misconceptions about God?
Many people see God as angry, judgmental, or disappointed in them. The Bible reveals that God’s character is actually one of pursuing love, patience, and grace toward those who feel broken or lost.
How do I start reading the Bible to learn about Jesus?
Begin with the Gospel of John, which focuses on Jesus’s identity and love. Read it like you’re getting to know a person, paying attention to how Jesus treats different people and what He says about Himself.
Share This Christian Testimony Know someone who needs to hear this truth about who Jesus really is? Share this post and help them discover the real Jesus too.
Tags: #WhoJesusReallyIs #PersonalRelationshipWithJesus #ChristianTestimony #GodsLove #FindingJesus #GodsCharacter #ChristianFaith #BibleStudy #GospelOfJohn #Relationship #Grace #Forgiveness #Hope #MisconceptionsAboutGodo come to God. Come as you are. He’ll handle the rest.
Share This Post
Know someone who needs to hear this truth? Share this post and help them discover the real Jesus too.
Tags: #Jesus #Faith #God #Christianity #Spirituality #PersonalTestimony #BibleStudy #GospelOfJohn #Relationship #Grace #Forgiveness #Hope
Leave a Reply