I was raised in a mind-science cult, my mother was a Christian Scientist and my father was a mason, however from my earliest recollection I knew there was a God, fast forward to to my late teen years, I was overdosed on STP, a very potent form of LSD, as I was dying I knew I was going to Hell, how did I know that (?), Christian Science doesn't believe/teach in a literal Hell, ...finally with my last breath I cried out the only religious word I knew, "Father, " ...I was instantly straight, no effects of the drug in my body, I knew in my spirit I had had an encounter with God, however I continued on in my sin and debauchery until finally I broke, most LSD users come away from the experience, whether they will admit it or not, believing they are Jesus Christ, I knew Jesus died at 33 and I lived in mortal fear of my 33rd birthday, so when it came and passed I went mad/insane/crazy whatever you want to call it, by His grace I wasn't hospitalized, a friend took me to church, there I prayed the sinner's prayer and was given a Bible, but I was still mad/insane/crazy, I found in the Bible words written in red and by reading those words my mind would stop spinning a million mph and I would fall asleep for a few minutes, sleeping longer as time passed until finally I could sleep through the night, that went on for 18 months until finally the Mental Health professionals declared me sane. I had a strong urge inside of me to go to church, so I joined one and became very active, I taught a adult bible study, helped in Sunday School, was in charge of the youth, organized Saturday Men's Breakfast/Work day and played in the Worship band, then a life changing event occurred in my life on a Wednesday night in July of '86 during a Bible Study, the pastor was teaching Isa 40 and when I read verses 5-8, it was like all of my sin was placed on my shoulders, it physically bowed me down in my chair to where my head was below my knees, it was quite a scene, I tried to sit up, but couldn't, when the study was over the pastor came over and asked me what was the matter, I told him it was like all of my sin was on my shoulders, he asked me if I had ever asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and I truthfully didn't know what he was talking about, he gave me the Gospel and all the while in the back of my mind (remembering from my overdose experience) I knew I was going to Hell, after/while I was praying asking Jesus to forgive me because I was a sinner, the burden was lifted and I sat upright in the chair, I was filled with unspeakable peace and joy, I loved Jesus, I loved His children, I talked nonstop about Jesus, ...He cleansed me from my mule skinners filthy mouth, He took away my desire to drink alcohol, He healed my two disingenerated discs in my back (verified by a Christian doctor), He healed me from a torturous twisted ankle injury and, most important, I found I didn't need to read someone else's book to try and understand the Bible, the Holy Spirit open it up to me using Scripture to explain Scripture, Old Testament stories to explain new Testament doctrine. PTL
So to answer the OP question, I didn't chose Jesus, He chose me, it was hard for me all those years kicking against the goads Gal 1:15 , but because of all of my life experiences I knew He was Holy and I was a sinner going to Hell, when the choice was presented to me in His timing John 1:13 (on that Wednesday night in '86), I made the right choice to follow Jesus because I didn't want to go to Hell.
Friends, Peter tells us we are born again of incorruptible seed and the Word of God, 1 Pet 1:23, what the Holy Spirit is teaching is He is our Spiritual Father (seed=sperm) and the Word is the ovum, for me the ovum was Isa 40:5-8 and just like I know the name of my earthly father and mother and I know what day I was born then, so too it is with every Child of God, you will know what verse the Father used as the ovum in your life and what day you were born again, Peter is verifying this in the verses Pet 1:24, 25, where he records what verse Father used to cause Him to be born again, ...it was a few years after I was born again that I was taught this, so if you don't know then ask the Holy Spirit to show you and He will, ...if you don't doubt James 1:5-8.
Blessings 2 Pet 1:10, 1 Cor 15:2,
Gene