this question is truly personal for each person - between you and GOD only. there are a lot of misconceptions out there in society about what it means to accept CHRIST into your heart and a lot of labels.
by far my favorite label is "bible beater." this cracks me up, because the people that say that have no idea what a real relationship with GOD is about. now, with that said i do believe there are extremists to every religion, but i wonder if they understand truly what a relationship is with GOD and i don't think they do (just check out our daily news). before i did it, believe me i was probably the biggest one with doubts.
the church we attend is very large. my husband and i would drive by the campus almost weekly and to be honest i have no idea how we always ended up near there, because we didn't live by the church (of course it was GOD). i would always laugh and say "now being baptist is one thing i wouldn't do." boy, was i wrong, GOD had other plans. now, i know what a special place our church is, and i have met some of my best friends for life there.
when i first started to learn about CHRIST i couldn't even find my way through the books of the bible. i had no idea which way to turn (i still have those days)to find scripture. the first bible study that i attended i remember feeling ashamed and embarrassed even to be around those GODLY women; i mean really who was I to even be in a bible study with all of my sins. GOD worked his power over my heart and taught me.
another misconception is that some are afraid they will be judged by the church or fellow christians, that makes me sad. i just think of so many individuals that have lost out on this gift because of the ignorance of others, or they have felt they were being attacked for not understanding the true power of HIS grace. i have a friend, that i can honestly say probably has the entire bible memorized. i am in awe of her knowledge of scripture. she would always bring up GOD in our conversations and it would make me so mad. guess what, that was my issue, not hers. she was right and i was wrong. when i accepted him, i finally got what she was talking about - peace.
i have to say i do not read self-help books and i very rarely read christian books, unless that author has inspired me in some way (beth moore, gary thomas, john piper). i find no fulfillment from self-help books. they seem repetitive and are just a quickie solution to a problem that you rarely find works in the end. i have never, ever found that to be true with the BIBLE. the reason of course is that the bible is the true word of the LORD and the only help you will ever need. when individuals ask what the meaning of life is, they should read the bible, because there is your answer in black and white. proverbs is a great book to find a lot of those answers and i turn to romans a lot, actually most of the new testament answers all of those questions.
if you are struggling to accept him ask yourself why. ask the real reason why you would deny yourself this gift. if you are afraid of being judged, remember you are being judged already by those around you in almost every choice or decision you make. if being judged is your reason then know that GOD will judge those sinful and hypocritical individuals much more harshly than they judge you (romans chapter 2).
the reason why i did it is because it brought a sense of absolute peace over my mind and heart.
"i will lead the blind by ways they have not known along unfamiliar paths i will guide them; i will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. these are the things i will do; i will not forsake them." isaiah 42:16
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