Author | Jamie

A Mother’s Letter to Her Son on His Confirmation Day

I’ve always believed in Jesus. I can always remember wanting to follow Him and serve Him. For a long time I thought the best way to serve Him was by being a good kid. I tried to always do the right thing, and I felt like I was pretty decent at it. (Except for losing my temper with my siblings, but that seemed fairly understandable, given what I had to put up with 😉).

By the time I got to high school, I started to notice that it was difficult to be good all the time. I stopped being as successful at it. I still desired to do the right thing, but some of the temptations around me were just too hard to resist. Still, though, everyone thought of me as a good. At least I was better than most of the kids around me.

At some point, the difference between what others thought of me, and what I knew to be true about myself became too great. I was aware of my inability to keep up the act. I just couldn’t be as good as they thought I was. I kept my sins quiet, because it didn’t seem safe to tell anyone. The pressure to be perfect was overwhelming. It was a difficult way to live.

What God has been graciously teaching me in recent years is that I don’t need to live that way. He knows I’m not perfect and that I can’t possibly be, no matter how hard I try. This does not make Him frustrated or angry or even surprised. In fact, it made Him sacrifice His own son in order to set me free from that responsibility.

Galatians 3:10 says that anyone who relies on the works of the law is under a curse. That’s kind of how I felt when I was trying so hard to get everything right – like I was cursed. I had so little freedom. Being a Christian seemed important, but incredibly difficult.

I have begun to discover that maybe my best bet is just to admit it when I screw up, as difficult as that might be. (It gets easier with practice.) I’m learning to confess more quickly. As I do that, I get to live more often experiencing the victory Jesus won for me. Then I don’t carry the burden of being good, and I get to experience His goodness.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6.23).”  We have the hope of eternal life with Jesus when He returns, but we have so much more than that. That new life is for now. We experience life and victory and His good gifts every time we draw near to Him. And He is always near, already drawing close to us.

He loves you so very much. And so do I.  I’m glad to be your mom.  You are a delight.

Read Austin’s Faith Story Here: Taking the Back Seat