So, what does it REALLY mean to be a Christian? What are the requirements for being a believer in Jesus Christ?
What does God want from you?
Many times, when people are faced with the decision on whether or not to follow Christ, they form assumptions and build a case against becoming a Christian.
Yes, I know that the term "Christian" doesn't settle well with people today. Unfortunately, the term of being a Christian has become a symbol of hate and politics.
God doesn't want you to make cardboard signs and protest everything and everyone with hate and weaponizing Bible verses for a political agenda. He's not asking you to give up everything to go to a remote jungle in Africa to preach to some native tribe. He also isn't requiring that you become one of those crazy Christians you immediately think of.
What does God want? He wants relationship.
When I was growing up in church, we were led to believe that when we chose to follow Christ that we were to have some sort of "calling" on our lives for a ministry. Early on I struggled with this when I was seeking my own calling. For a time I thought I was supposed to become a preacher to follow in the footsteps of my dad and my grandfather. That wasn't it. It also wasn't being a Youth Ministry, Deacon, Men's Minister or any other thing that was a religious title.
So what did God want from me? He simply wanted me to be the best version of me that I could be. He wanted me to focus on the talents and abilities that I already possessed but to use them for good and for His purpose.
More than anything, what God wants for you is just to be a good citizen who truly represents Him. I think you would agree that we need more good people in the world. We need more people who love others as they love themselves. It is also possible that God will call us to do more but we just need to have a relationship with Him first and He will work that out in us in His time and in His way.
Don't put off or reject following God. Don't assume what it will mean for you. Just do it. Too many times we miss out on what we could have done simply because we talk ourselves out of it. We focus on the negative rather than the positive. Having a relationship with God doesn't have to be a negative thing. It's not about religion either. You don't have to join a church or get a membership in a club. Start with a membership with just you and God. Then see where it goes from there.
God isn't always going to expect you to quit your job or give up your hobbies to follow Him. Chances are that He wants you to continue where you are and become a better person at what you are already doing. He doesn't need more preachers and more churches, He needs good people.
