Saved But Still Petty: A Testimony
- Janette Owens
- 11 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Let me go ahead and testify. 💚
Yes, I’m saved. Yes, I love the Lord. But I am also… just a little bit petty. Not vengeful. Not mean-spirited. Just petty enough to remember you didn’t speak to me last week and act accordingly this week. Growth is happening, but it’s a process. 😊
See, nobody told me that sanctification would take this long. LOL I thought once I got serious about God, all my little clapbacks, eye-rolls, and side-eyes would magically vanish. I thought I’d be floating through life, quoting Scripture and hugging strangers. But no. I'm still over here trying not to say what I really want to say when somebody cuts in front of me at Aldi.
Being saved doesn’t erase your personality. And thank God for that. Some of the most honest, funniest, down-to-earth people I know are saved and still working through their inner “don’t try me.” And I say “working through” on purpose, because contrary to popular belief, being petty doesn’t mean you’re toxic. 🎉🤗💚
Sometimes it just means you’re observant, witty, and know when people are playing in your face.
Like the time someone sent me a long text, “in love,” correcting me about how I posted too much about Jesus and mental health. I didn’t respond. I just posted a “Faith & Therapy” graphic every day that week. In full color. On purpose. Was that petty? Probably. But it was also me standing on what I believe. With flair.
I keep telling y'all that Jesus flipped tables. Paul got sarcastic. Elijah mocked the false prophets. Petty runs through the Bible like a river. So when I give you that tight smile after you’ve ignored me for six months straight, know I’m in good company.😊 I’m growing. I promise. But I’m still me.
The beauty of it all is that God can handle our quirks. He’s not asking us to lose our fire. He’s asking us to surrender it. There’s a difference. You don’t have to become this dry, boring person just to be holy. You can be full of grace and quick wit. The secret is letting God mature it.
Over time, I’ve learned when to speak and when to pray instead. I’ve learned how to turn my “oh really?” into “Lord, help me not react.” But I still laugh when I think about all the times God held my tongue and I walked away feeling like I won a spiritual Oscar for Best Supporting Role in a Scene That Could’ve Gone Left.
So, if you’re like me (redeemed, guided by the spirit, but still a little spicy), be encouraged, God’s not done with you. And He’s not surprised by your edge. He’ll use it to sharpen others, just like He’s refining you.
Now, excuse me while I pray for strength… and maybe unfollow a few people for my peace. 😉
Amen and Amen.
Still a work in progress? Same here. If God is growing you but your petty side still shows up, type “That’s me!” in the comments!
Janette Owens is the founder of Be Inspired For Real and owner of Be Inspired For Real LLC. She loves everything inspirational and has spent most of her life inspiring and motivating others through humor, prose, exhortation, and God's grace. Janette is the author of A Swan Song, an intimate collection of poems and short stories. Janette lives just outside of Memphis, Tennessee.
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