Danny’s Story: “I have never felt closer to Christ.”

My name is Danny, and I’m from Maine. I am a husband of 33 years, father of 5 and grandfather of one. Most importantly, I am saved through faith in Jesus Christ and loved by my Heavenly Father.

I just completed my first group with The Redeemed covering the book by Dane Ortlund, Gentle and Lowly, the Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers. I believe that it was Divine intervention that I found The Redeemed and even more of God’s planning that the timing and topic of this book was just what my soul was crying out for.

Staying on God’s “good side”

For most of my adult Christian life, I knew that salvation was by grace through faith—not by works. I knew it. I could quote Ephesians 2:8–9 and explain the gospel clearly. But deep down, I still lived as if my standing with God depended on my performance. I knew the truth, but I didn’t fully trust it. I was trying to use my good works to offset my failures, as if I needed to stay on God’s good side by doing enough to cover the bad.

So whenever I fell short, I would double down—read more, pray longer, serve harder—hoping I could erase my mistakes by my own effort. I thought if I worked hard enough, I could restore what I had broken. I wouldn’t have said it out loud, but I lived like grace got me started in my faith but works had to keep me going. Grace wasn’t enough. This system seemed to work, at least I thought it did, until it didn’t.

When strength fails

Last year, everything unraveled. I entered a dark season where my strength failed completely. The brokenness I had tried to hide for so long came to the surface—my “thorn in the flesh” was no longer something I could manage or cover. It was out in the open, and I had no way to fix myself. My works were not enough and there wasn’t anything that I could do to cover it from God. Due to the pain and my perceived rejection from God, I became angry and put the blame of the issues of my life on Him. What more did He want? What more could I do?

That’s when God met me—not in my cleaned-up, put-together version of faith, but right there in the dark, raw, unfiltered truth of my weakness. He didn’t turn away. He didn’t wait for me to get it together. He met me with open arms.

The gospel became real

It was there, in the depth of my need, that the gospel finally became real: “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works” (Ephesians 2:8–9). And Hebrews 7:25 gave me such hope: “He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.”

I finally saw that grace wasn’t just the entry point to salvation—it’s the whole foundation. Jesus didn’t ask me to hide my thorn or make up for my past. He asked me to trust Him. And when I let go of my efforts, I found peace—not because I had earned it, but because He had already provided it.

Beyond proving myself

Now I live differently. I still obey, still serve, still pursue God—but not to earn anything. I do it because I’m already loved. I’m not trying to prove myself anymore. I’m resting in the One who proved everything for me on the cross. I have never felt closer to Christ. My mind is renewed by Him for Him. Bible reading, prayer and worship are no longer tasks but a time to commune with the One who has given everything.

Grace has changed everything. I no longer carry the weight of trying to balance the scales. I know now—Jesus has already tipped them forever in my favor. And He saves to the uttermost. Those deep dark ugly places that we try to hide are where Christ meets us and loves us the most.

I am forever thankful for the work of Christ and His sacrifice; thankful for the open arms of my Father when I thought that He had tired of me and thankful for The Redeemed and its team for walking with me during this time of my life.