Before I gave my life to Christ I tried really hard to impress the people around me.  I did whatever it was that they wanted to do, whether that was partying, drinking, or womanizing. But none of these things gave me the fulfillment I was searching for. I was constantly chasing after a sense of contentment that never came. No matter what I tried, there was still an emptiness inside of me.

When I came to know Christ and accepted Him as the Savior of my life, that void was filled. After failing to find satisfaction in all the things I was doing, and then experiencing fulfillment in Christ, I had no desire to go back; I knew that my former lifestyle only led to brokenness and pain.

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” —Ephesians 4:22-24

However, the temptations did not go away. When I chose to live my life for Christ, I was constantly challenged in the locker room and by friends as to why I wasn’t engaging in the same activities as before. Many of them would challenge me; “Do you think you’re too good for us now, or why don’t you do this or that anymore?” I told them that I had experienced the new life that God has promised to those that believe in Him and it brought so much more fulfillment than before. His way doesn’t come with the pain, turmoil, and insecurities that my former lifestyle did. I was striving to please the Lord and wanted them to see a change in me so that their curiosity might draw them to the light of Christ.

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season.” —Psalm 1:3

I also learned that in order to live a lifestyle that is pleasing to Christ I need to know His Word. I need to know what the Bible says so that whatever my situation, I know the choices that I need to make to honor God. I don’t want to be good for good’s sake. I want to be good for God’s sake.

“I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” —Psalm 119:11

There have been many times that I’ve been mocked for my new lifestyle. At times I felt really lonely in the locker room. A lot of the guys would tease me, telling me I wasn’t a man because my girlfriend (now my wife) and I choose to be celibate before marriage. If I allowed those comments to outweigh my conviction and love for the Lord, I might have given in to my own desires. But my love for God is so much greater than my desire to fit in.

“For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.” —Psalm 1:6

While many guys would make jokes about my choice to honor God by waiting for marriage, there were some who really respected me for that decision and asked me how I could do that. My answer to them was that it wasn’t always what I wanted to do, but I did it because I knew it was pleasing to God and it honored Amber. After I shared my convictions them, another Christian on my team came up to me and said that he was really struggling in this area and that my answer to them really encouraged him.

There were times, walking through those battles, that I felt very alone and in a fight that would have no end. Looking back, it’s awesome to see the impact that my story had on others, whether I knew it at the time or not. But whether or not we think people are watching us, God sees our obedience to Him and will use that as a testimony of His goodness. I hope that the choices that I made then—and the ones I make now—will be a testimony for others to see the joy and fulfillment that I have in Christ.

—Joshua Vaughan

Joshua Vaughan is a regular contributor of The Increase, providing monthly articles and opinions.

Check out Joshua’s Increase profile here: http://theincrease.com/author/josh-vaughan/  
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