The Goodness of God Led Me to Repentance
My Name is Nina Hall, and This is My Story
The story of my life begins in a home full of love and kindness—a home where the Word of God was the ultimate authority in every decision of life. My parents loved me and did everything they could for me to give me a fulfilling life. My parents were Christians who faithfully taught me biblical principles and made sure we were in church at every service to hear the Word of God. It was through these efforts on my behalf that I learned of God’s abundant love for me and His merciful plan to send His Son into this sinful world to save my soul—if I believed on Him. For this teaching, I have learned to be ever thankful. If it were not for the goodness of God, the grace of God, and the mercy of God I would not be where I am today.
I did not see the value of this teaching right away, however. I learned the truths of the Bible just as a child learns facts in school. The words were often meaningless and did not grip my heart. I went on through life enjoying the goodness of God and His blessings being poured on my life because of the faithfulness of my parents and church family. I saw many people around me awakening to the Truth through the power of the Holy Spirit; and although I knew I wanted to be saved someday, I did not feel an urgency to come to Christ. (Note: salvation, saved and born again are Biblical terms referring to the forgiveness of sins by God and the rescue of a person from the power and penalty of that sin. This is God’s requirement for everlasting life.) I did not take to heart the fact that I could die at any moment—that young people as well as old people die every day. I could not feel the hand of God as He alone held me up from falling into hell because of my own sinfulness.
Perhaps I did not think I was bad enough. I had grown up in a Christian home and never thought about how my whole being—my very nature—IS sin. I couldn’t do anything to remedy the sad situation. Only God could save me from myself. In Isaiah chapter 64, verse 6 the Bible says, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Even if I tried to work my way to heaven on the idea that I was good enough, it would not work.
The longing in my heart for God was awakened as I grew older and continued to hear God calling me to Himself. Many times I felt the Holy Spirit tugging at my heart, pleading for me to open my life up to Him; but my pride and foolishness made me put it off. Salvation is a humbling thing; it isn’t easy for a person to admit that they are wicked in God’s eyes and have to depend totally on Him for salvation.
My parents and my friends continued to talk to me about salvation and how lost I was without the Lord. My Dad and I did a Bible study together and he explained salvation to me once again. Oh, the Lord was so good to me! I did not deserve to have so many chances to hear the gospel. I had more opportunities to be saved than I could ever count. This was the mercy of God being showered on my soul. God could have left me where I was and not bothered to draw my soul again to salvation; but He is a God of longsuffering and full of goodness. In Romans chapter 2, verse 4 the Bible says that, “…the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.” Repentance is seeing your sin as God sees it and turning your back on it in order to follow Christ. This is what finally gripped my heart. God was being so good to me. I knew that His way was the Truth, and that only through Him could I find true happiness.
So, why should I delay any longer my inner struggle with sin and continue rejecting God’s love? Finally on January 23rd, 2002, at a teen winter camp, I couldn’t take it anymore. I went to the last service very burdened about my great need. I was shaking and under conviction; my hands were sweaty and shaking. God’s Holy Spirit was working on me, showing me my sin, and my need of His forgiveness. I determined in my heart that I was going to go talk to someone and that I needed to be saved THAT DAY. I didn’t want to put it off any longer.
However, when the invitation came my feet did not want to budge. Because I had refused to yield to God so many times, it made it very difficult to finally take the step and at least talk to someone about it. Finally, I swallowed my pride, said yes to the Lord, made my way to the back and found my counselor.
We went into another room together and sat down. She opened her Bible and showed me verses that pertained to my need of salvation.
Romans chapter 10, verse 9 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
Romans chapter 10, verse 13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
I finally took what I had heard my whole life and applied it to me personally. I couldn’t put it off until I got home. I knew that only Christ could make a difference in my life, and I sincerely wanted Him to. I knelt before God and begged Him to please make me a new person, to forgive all my sinful ways, and to come live inside me and change my wicked heart. It was a decision I will never forget or regret.
It was at that moment that I met Jesus. I began to have a desire for the word of God. I began to pray to God, and enjoyed the preaching and teaching that I was being taught. It was like blinders were lifted from my eyes and I could actually understand what the Bible said. I thought I understood it before, but I did not. God began to reveal to me the secret places of my heart that needed to be turned over to him. I still find things in my life that I need to change. But the words of the Bible and the direction of the Holy Spirit help me to change those things in my life.
My goal now is to become more like Jesus Christ. I want to do His will each day and tell as many people as I can about the Savior who came into my life and gave me a new heart, and a purpose for living. Every word of God is true and I find its counsel more reliable than any other source as each day goes past.
And so my friend, I would like to ask you: Have you met Jesus Christ? He can be your Savior, too. The Bible tells us, “The Lord...is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (Second Peter chapter 3, verse 9) His promises are real. He will not disappoint you. Is the goodness of God leading you to repentance like it did me? None of us deserve to be saved, but out of the goodness of God’s heart, He offers each of us a chance to accept Him.
There is a reason you were given this story to read. The Lord is seeking you because He does not want you to live without Him any longer. The abundant, eternal life can be yours if you give your heart to Him. John chapter 17, verse 3 says, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John chapter 10, verse 10 says, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
Claim the promise of Romans chapter 10, verse 9, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”