"So Now What?"
First of all, and this is very important, your eternal life is entirely dependant upon Jesus, and what he has done--and not on you, and what you can do.
The last thing you want to do is stress out about this, that, and the other thing-- "Am I doing enough? Am I doing it right?" No! That's not what trusting Jesus is all about. Sometimes that's a very hard concept to wrap your mind around, especially if you are coming out of a heavy-handed religious system. There is no "list of rules" to follow; the only One to follow is Jesus!
But that doesn't mean that there aren't some practical things you can do, but these will start coming naturally as you grow in your love for Jesus.
- Take some time to get to know him! Pray to him. This just means talking with him; you don't need to worry about how you word things, or using special "reverent" language, or where you put your hands, or anything like that. Just talk to him like as you would a friend. Include him in your "internal dialog." Besides being your Lord and your Savior, he really is your friend! And he hears you. And he's interested in you. And he wants to be known by you.
- Read His word, the Bible. You might find it helpful to get ahold of a modern translation that is easy to read. (Contrary to what many Mormons are taught, most of the standard modern versions are faithful translations of the original Hebrew and Greek.) A good place in the Bible to start reading is the book of John. Just read it through! Study aids can be helpful, but don't feel like they're necessary. It's God's word, and He intended it to be read and understood by you. (If you don't have a Bible, please let us know, we can get you one.) Take your time. Enjoy God's Word! Here's a link to some Bible-related resources you might find helpful.
- Ask Him to help you learn more about Him. If you come to Him confused about His identity because of false teachings about Him, He is willing and able to show what is true about Himself! Ask him to help you sort out the true from the false. Remember, he wants to be known by you! Be patient--it can take time, but He is right there with you through the whole process.
- Seek out other Christians to build relationships with--in fact, that's one of the key reasons to attend a church, to build relationships with other Christians that will help you grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ, and eventually to find practical ways that you, too, can serve Him.
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