Then it's time to make it your own. You can be around God your whole life and never actually know Him.
There's a strange (and honestly hilarious) story in Acts 19. God was doing extraordinary miracles through Paul in Ephesus. So seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva decided they wanted in on the miracle business. They found a man with an evil spirit and said, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims" (Acts 19:13 ESV).
Don't miss who these guys were. They were preachers' kids. They grew up around the temple and knew all the right words. But listen to their formula again. Not "by Jesus my Lord." Not "by the Jesus I know." By the Jesus Paul preaches. They had the right name and the right words, but it wasn't theirs. It was borrowed.
The spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?" (Acts 19:15 ESV). Then one guy beat up all seven of them so badly they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. If you ever leave a fight naked and bleeding, you lost. No need to check the judges' scorecards. And if you ever say the Bible is boring, you're reading the wrong parts.
Some of us are living on borrowed faith. Maybe you've got your parents' Jesus. You grew up in church, you know the songs and the stories, and that's carried you this far. Maybe you've got your spouse's Jesus. They're the spiritual one and you're along for the ride. Maybe you've got your pastor's Jesus. You show up Sunday, let me do the God part, and go home. Here's the thing about borrowed faith: you don't know it's broken until it gets tested. It works fine until the marriage cracks, the job is gone or a kid walks away. Then you find out whether you know Jesus or just know about Him.
You might be thinking, "But I know a lot about the Bible." So did Paul. Before he met Jesus, he was Saul, a Pharisee who had memorized the Scriptures, prayed, fasted and tithed. He knew more about God than anyone in the room, and he'd never met God. He was actually fighting the God he thought he was serving. Then Jesus met him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9).
"Well, God's never knocked me off a horse with a light from heaven." Me neither. Most of us won't get a Damascus road. But you can still have a firsthand faith:
You can experience God's presence. God is everywhere, but He also makes Himself known in real moments: a peace in a hospital waiting room that makes no sense, or a verse on an ordinary Tuesday that hits like it was written for this exact week. "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you" (James 4:8 ESV). God usually shows up where He's wanted, not where He's tolerated. Give Him more than five distracted minutes a week while you check your phone.
You can hear God's voice. Jesus said His sheep hear His voice (John 10:27). The number one way He speaks is through Scripture. If you want a word from God, open the Word of God.
Your parents' faith may be the reason you know who Jesus is. Thank God for that. But you'll stand before Him on your own. So stop settling for a God you only know secondhand. Get quiet and pray what Ananias prayed: "Here I am, Lord" (Acts 9:10 ESV). And mean it.
Scripture: Acts 19:11–16; Acts 9:1–20; Philippians 3:4–6; James 4:8; John 10:27; 2 Timothy 3:16