John Wesley (1701-1791) sought for years to earn favor with God by means of good works. He wrestled with how many good deeds are needed to achieve favor with God. Try as he might, John lacked the assurance that God had accepted him. He had just returned from a disappointing mission trip to America and struggled to explain his actions to London authorities who had sent him there. He reluctantly attended a Methodist gathering on Aldersgate Street on the evening of May 24, 1738. Later in his journal, he noted that it was about a quarter to nine. The leader of the meeting happened to be reading Martin Luther’s Preface to Romans. Martin himself was converted by Paul’s words in Romans that “The righteous will live by faith” (Rom. 1.17). As John listened to Martin’s words about the change God works in our hearts through faith in Jesus Christ, he realized he had it all backward. He had previously imagined that he had to prove himself righteous for God to accept him, but now it dawned on him that faith was a gift of God’s grace. Nothing he could ever say or do could earn favor with God. John wrote of the moment, “I found my heart strangely warmed. I trusted Christ alone for my salvation, and assurance was given me.” He confidently testified of his awakening to the gathering and exclaimed to Brother Charles later that same evening, “I believe.”
We cannot control where or when God will speak to us. God’s appearances often happen unexpectedly. Yet, we can put ourselves in places where we will be ready whenever it happens. John recorded the following prayer in his journal shortly before his awakening: