A Personal Faith Story

by Chaplain Mark Eggleston

As we explore the gospel accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry, one thing quickly comes to light—His greatest desire was to minister to the needs of people with the goal of wooing and convincing them into a personal, forgiven relationship with Him. He came to deliver mankind from the bondage of sin and to free them to live in loving communion with His Father.

As Jesus interacted with people, He intentionally met them where they were and patiently helped them see their need for Him. In John chapter 4, we see Him step into a divine appointment with a Samaritan woman at a well, with the purpose of uncovering her spiritual thirst and promising her that if she would trust Him by faith, He would meet her deepest need by giving her living water that would flow from her innermost being and bring eternal life.

As the two met at Jacob’s well, Jesus said to the woman, “Give Me a drink” (John 4:7). A conversation ensued that compared and contrasted physical water with spiritual water, offering either temporary or eternal refreshment. The question that Jesus asked was perplexing to the woman, so Jesus went on to tell her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Me, and I would have given you living water” (John 4:10).

With that as the backdrop, Jesus went on to reveal her “thirst.” He told her to go and bring her husband back with her, and she replied that she didn’t have a husband. Jesus responded, “You are right! You don’t have a husband—for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now” (John 4:17–18).

Jesus began to uncover her spiritual thirst—a desire she thought could be satisfied through relationships, only to discover that even after many attempts, she was still left yearning for something more. The reality is that we are all thirsty, striving to fill the void in our soul with something earthly that we believe will make us whole again. This woman tried relationships, but some of us try wealth, position, power, material possessions, and the list goes on and on. All these things leave us empty spiritually.

The woman began to perceive that Jesus was different—He must be a prophet. Jesus told her plainly that He was the Messiah.

The woman began to perceive that Jesus was different—He must be a prophet. Jesus told her plainly that He was the Messiah. The woman left her water pot by the well and went back to her city to tell everyone about her interaction with Jesus—she shared her personal faith story. Scripture says that many believed in Jesus because of the word of the woman, for Jesus had told her everything she had done.

It is wonderful that others believed her faith story about Jesus, but the reality is that they each needed their own personal encounter with Him. The Scripture goes on to say that the Samaritans went out to meet Jesus, and after spending several days with Him, many more believed because of what He taught them. They then responded to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world” (John 4:42).

The lessons of this gospel account are clear: the woman’s interaction with Jesus led to questions about Him and a deeper understanding of her need. Her interaction with Jesus and belief in Him made her eager to share her faith story with others. As others heard her account of spiritual refreshment, they longed to hear Jesus for themselves. As they heard Him, their understanding moved 12 inches from their head to their heart—they truly believed (trusted) Him as their own Messiah and received living water that brought them eternal life. The Samaritan people no longer knew “about Jesus”—they came to trust “in Jesus” for themselves, in a personal and saving way. They now had their own faith story.

The Bible tells us that “if we confess with our mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved” (Romans 10:9–10). That’s all about faith—and it is personal.

The story is told of a man named Charles Blondin, a French acrobat who walked on tightropes. He crossed Niagara Falls 300 times in his life and never fell once. Consider crossing an expanse of 1,100 feet (three football fields) 300 times. Imagine that you and I traveled together to experience one of his amazing crossings. We observed him doing it and, in awe, cheered wildly with the crowd that had gathered. What an incredible experience.

Let: Charles Blondin’s daring walk across Niagara Falls drew thousands as he crossed 1,100 feet on a cable high above the rushing waters.
Right: Carrying his manager, Harry Colcord, Blondin illustrates the kind of trust that goes beyond belief—placing full confidence in another.

After completing his crossing, Charles asked us if we believed he could cross again as an encore. We all affirmed him with enthusiastic applause. Then he looked at you and me and said, “If you are so sure I can cross again, which of you will climb on my back and let me carry you across the falls?”

Now that’s another story—that takes real faith. It’s easy to “believe” that Charles can cross, but would you believe it enough to get on his back? Charles’ manager, Harry Colcord, agreed to get on for the ride and was successfully carried across the raging falls.

TRUE FAITH is not believing “about” Jesus, but instead trusting “in Jesus” to carry us across the great divide—a separation between us and God because of our sin. Jesus carries us to a place of refreshment and relief, where we are welcomed into a forgiven relationship with His Father, where we are satisfied by the living water He supplies, and where we enjoy eternal life in Him.

Do you have a personal faith story? Is there a time in your life when you met Jesus and He showed you what you are really like? Was there a time when your belief and trust moved from your head to your heart—an experience of “getting on Jesus’ back,” being forgiven, and being welcomed into His family only by grace through faith?

If you have never met Jesus personally, maybe today is the day. Will you draw close to Him and be refreshed by the living water He supplies—a water that will spring up to eternal life? If you walk in a forgiven relationship with Jesus, will you share your faith story with others who need to hear?

Let’s rejoice today that our deepest need can be met, just as the woman at the well found to be true through a personal encounter and saving trust in Jesus.