READ: NUMBERS 21:8-9; JOHN 3:1-17; 11:25-27

Do you ever wonder if you’re really saved? Maybe you prayed to ask Jesus to save you, but you keep wondering, “How do I know I really meant it when I asked Jesus to forgive and save me? Maybe I should ask Him again, just to make sure.”

These doubts are normal—lots of Christians experience them. But it can be helpful to remember that saying a prayer isn’t what saves us—whether we pray one time or a hundred times. No matter how many good deeds we do, we can’t save ourselves—not by praying, being baptized, giving money to church, being kind, or doing any other good thing. We’re saved only by Jesus. When we put our faith in Him, it means we trust Him, kind of like how we trust a chair will hold us when we sit on it. Being saved isn’t something we do—it’s something God does for us. All we have to do is believe that Jesus loves us and that He died for our sins on the cross and rose again. In John 6:47, Jesus says all who believe in Him have eternal life.

It’s good to ponder Scriptures like these when we have doubts. It’s also good to reach out to Christians we trust, such as friends, pastors, youth leaders, or family members. And we can always talk to Jesus about how we’re feeling. No matter what we’re struggling with, He understands, and He wants to help us. He is faithful to remind us that He already did everything that needed to be done to save us, and He holds us securely in His love, now and forever (Romans 3:23-26; 8:38-39).

Remember, even if we believe in Jesus, even if we know that He died and rose again for us, and even if we realize we can’t do anything to save ourselves, we might still experience doubt from time to time. And that’s okay. We can bring all our doubts, fears, and questions to Jesus, and we can share our struggles with other Christians in our lives too. God is eager to help us know for sure that we have everlasting life. • A. W. Smith

• Do you ever wonder whether or not you’re saved? Who are trusted Christians in your life you could talk to about this?

• The truth is, Jesus willingly went to the cross because God wanted to save us—He loves us that much, and He longs for us to be with Him. We can rejoice in this good news! If you want to know more about trusting in Jesus or find more Scriptures about being saved, see our "Know Jesus" page.

[Jesus said,] “Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.” John 6:47 (NIV)