Carol McClain

How Hungry for Righteousness Are You?

Carol McClain

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matt. 5:6

In my twenties, every church ever created came knocking at my door.

The ubiquitous Jehovah’s Witnesses told me their path was the only one that would let me find God. I think only if I knocked on doors and told others the truth. For sure, I’d meet my maker on that one–me, hounding strangers? That would be a stroke waiting to happen.

My husband liked the Satanic Temple, which disguised Satan as a spirit who fought oppression. Hari Krishnas were up there with him too. If knocking on doors would kill me, chanting and skipping on city streets in long robes would do me in for sure.

Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet, but he wasn’t God. Allah was. They obviously never read the Bible–Old or New Testament.

Then the Mormons. They promised me a happy family. Mine was anything but. They presented  me a path to a righteous life. Goodness. The organization offered me everything I dreamed of. I went to one service. In this case, the entire service was about their latest prophet. Nothing about God.

Every church promised it held the truth. Only one problem: Truth can’t be two different things at once. It’s the basic law of non-contradiction.

I wanted God. My life was awful. A mess of my own making.

I prayed–desperately. My desire leaned toward LDS, but I couldn’t worship God in a manner he did not want. “God,” I begged, “if there’s only one way to you, then that’s what I need. What do you want?”

Enter new friends. They befriended this now-divorced woman. They told me that Jesus died for me while I was a sinner. I didn’t have to get my life together before I came to him. They introduced me to a community that welcomed this single mother who was an emotional basket case. They told me I couldn’t do anything to make myself holy–but the good news was Jesus already made a way. All I needed was faith.

Somehow, I found faith to make my choice, and that choice changed my life. Romans 1:16-17 came to life. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.'”

From then on, I grew in Christ. His righteousness filled my life. My world didn’t become Pollyanna’s. I faced some of the hardest trials of my life, but …

Righteousness filled my soul. Companionship with Jesus Christ transformed this messed-up wannabe hippy into a contented woman.

No, I lie–not contented, a truly happy woman.

I believed in faith that being a born-again Christian was God’s way. Every day since then, the Lord has proven himself.

Do you want righteousness or tickled ears?

If you want truth, you can find it by trusting in Jesus Christ.