“Then I (Saul) asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied.  ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.  I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ 
Acts 26:15-18

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Saul was well known among Jewish leaders for his persecution of Christ followers. Now called Paul and infamous among spiritual leaders for his defense of Jesus, he spoke before kings to defend himself against rumors and false accusations of betraying Rome. Over and over again, he shared his conversion story, which necessarily included the Good News of salvation through faith in Jesus.  

He told his backstory (Acts 8:1-3) of violence, cruelty, and stone-hearted persecution of Christians. He spoke of his conversion on the road to Damascus, where the resurrected Jesus declared a new purpose in life for him. Then Jesus left him stricken with blindness, groping on the side of the road (Acts 9:1-7). Over time, he was able to see again and awoke from spiritual blindness. He could now see the effect of his sin on his relationship with God. Within his story was the Gospel message (Acts 26:18). Yet his conversion did not save him from violence. This Jesus-loving man continued to live in a violent world, but he was no longer cheering it on. He was the brunt of it, suffering in his quest to open the eyes of the spiritually blind. To that end, he shared his conversion story across the known world at that time.

Perhaps you think your own conversion story lacks drama. It is helpful to remember that the Holy Spirit reaches people in different ways at different stages of life—some are young, others are young adults, some are middle-aged, and there are even those in their final hours. 

Perhaps you were a child when you fully dedicated yourself to Christ, and maybe you think that because you have not lived a life as radically consumed by sin like Paul, that your story is not worth telling. Trust me, it is because it’s not really your story—it’s the Holy Spirit’s. 

Consider your spiritual life and the many sins that you have not been exposed to, tempted by, or consumed by because of the influence of the Holy Spirit within you so young. Then try to imagine your life without Jesus.  Do you think you would be in the same spiritual place? I would think no. And that is a powerful conversion story. 

Next Steps

Consider asking Christians you know, “How did you come to know Christ?’ Listen to how the Holy Spirit moved in their lives.

If you have the Willow Rooted Book, take a look at week eight. It has a helpful guide on telling your spiritual story.