“Am I truly saved? If I am, then why am I no different from the world?” I have asked myself this countless times especially during times when seeking God happens to be the farthest thing from my mind.
I personally came up with this list in 2013, not exhaustive but only what I could think of at the time, when my family happened to experience some tumult to remind myself of something, my Salvation. I know this is something a lot of believers struggle with mainly because the enemy accuses and plants those doubts in our minds especially when we find ourselves in a state where the fruits of the Holy Spirit just seem elusive in our lives.
You know you are saved when…
… you have truly asked Jesus Christ to save you from your wretched self. (Your good works cannot get you to heaven. They only count for rewards on judgment day, not gain entry to heaven.)
… you are not ashamed to proclaim the Gospel no matter the cost. You see all things beautiful, why in the world keep it to yourself?
… people say bad things about you because you choose to obey God.
… whatever sinful thing or destructive habit you used to do and enjoy doing now repulses you.
… you start thinking about doing God’s will instead of your own.
… you forgive those who have hurt you without question.
… you used to think bad things about people before and now see people as just people without bad thoughts of any sort attached.
… people label you as “Holier than thou” because your sanctity condemns them without you saying a word.
… you hunger for God’s Truth.
… you can discern duplicity and deception. (The Holy Spirit promises to guide you to all truth. A believer may be deceived for a time but eventually, the Holy Spirit will lead the believer back to the truth.)
I’m not suggesting a mantra or anything but we do need to come up with a way to remind ourselves of our resolve especially during times where we can be so immersed in our life of sin that we deliberately let the Holy Spirit’s conviction pass through the other ear (Yes, this is something we all go through but only momentary). Mine happens to be “Fiat Voluntas Tua” (Thy Will Be Done).
I remember adopting this as my motto since 2006. I got saved in 2001 but I didn’t live out my salvation until 2004 and believe me, I fall short in living this out but it helps to remind me. What’s with the Latin? Well, I can say my Catholic upbringing (and no, I’m not Catholic anymore) tremendously impacted my life since for one, my name happens to come straight from a Latin canticle. I wasn’t devout per se but my grandparents were and I got familiarized with some Latin phrases in my elementary years, the aforementioned one and Veritas Caritas/Veritas in Caritate (Truth In Love) stuck more to me because it became my heart’s desire through the moving of the Holy Spirit to (try to) live by them.
If you died today, What would be your life’s motto, what you would want people who matter the most in your life remember you by?
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.”
Psalm 19:14
[Image Credit: Ubuntu: Personally tweaked for a wallpaper]