How God’s Word Awakens Faith

Think back to when you first became a follower of Christ. What were the means God used to open your eyes to salvation?

The Bible tells us that faith comes from hearing the word of Christ. In my own testimony, I can look back and confidently say that this is true. God used a community of believers who lived out His Word to nudge me toward opening the Bible and hearing from Him directly.

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
— Romans 10:17

The Word Seen

When I was a freshman in college, I became involved in a Christian organization for one simple reason: I wanted to surround myself with “good” people. As I began developing relationships with my new friends, I noticed two things.

First, my Christian friends were completely normal. They pranked each other. They hosted Dance Dance Revolution parties in their dorm rooms. They built bonfires on the beach. They were fun, genuine people who welcomed me into their everyday lives.

The second thing I noticed was that while they were normal in many ways, they also had something different about them: their faith.

They attended church without being dragged by their parents. They hosted Bible studies and faith discussions in their dorm rooms. They played worship music at those same bonfires. And they invited people like me into their lives because they genuinely wanted others to know Jesus.

I was witnessing people who were living out what they heard from God in the Bible.

Seeing something different in my friends stirred something within me. Before long, that curiosity would lead to a moment that would change my life forever—when God opened my ears to hear from Him directly through His Word.

The Word Heard

My friends were wonderful, but I had a false impression about them. I assumed they knew everything about God, while I felt like I knew nothing. My pride was rooted in a deeper fear—that they would discover who I really was: someone pretending to be a Christian but unsure what that even meant.

So in an attempt to “catch up” and sound knowledgeable at Bible study, I Googled seven simple words that would unexpectedly change my life:

Where should I start reading the Bible?

When I typed those words, I had no idea the transformation that would follow for the next 12+ years.

The website suggested beginning in one of the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. I chose Mark because, honestly, it was the shortest.

But only four chapters in, my heart was wrecked.

I read the Parable of the Sower and realized something deeply personal: I had always had a desire to follow Jesus, but I had never stayed committed to Him.

There were many reasons for that—some small, some significant. In fact, the parable itself describes several of them. But in that moment, something shifted in my heart.

I knew I wanted to pursue God and become deeply rooted in Him for the rest of my life.

If you’re curious, you can read the passage that changed my life here: Mark 4:1–20.

Did I understand everything about salvation at that moment? Absolutely not. Even now, there are questions I continue to wrestle with.

But one thing was clear: I was sorry for my lack of commitment to Jesus, and I wanted to belong to Him forever.

God used the example of my Christian friends to draw me closer, but ultimately, His Word was the instrument He used to awaken faith in my heart.

The Word Embraced

My experience reminds me of the story in Luke 24:13–35 when the disciples were traveling to Emmaus after Jesus’ resurrection.

They were confused and discouraged, unable to understand what had happened. Even after hearing reports that the tomb was empty, they struggled to believe.

What they didn’t realize was that Jesus Himself had joined them on the road.

As they walked, Jesus explained the Scriptures to them. Later, when He broke bread with them, their eyes were opened and they finally recognized Him. Reflecting on the moment, they said: “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

That is exactly how my heart felt.

When I read the parable of the soils, something ignited inside me. My heart burned within me—and I knew there was no going back.

The Word Changes Everything

Looking back, I can see how God was working through every step of the journey.

First, I saw the Word lived out in the lives of my friends.
Then, I heard the Word for myself through Scripture.
Finally, I embraced the Word as it transformed my heart.

The Word of God truly changes everything.

I saw the difference it made in my friends’ lives before I fully understood it. And once I experienced it for myself, I knew my life would never be the same.

Reflect and Connect

1. What means did God use to bring about your salvation?

2. How does Romans 10:14–17 connect to the faith story shared above? How does it relate to your own story?

3. In what ways has the Word of God changed your life?