This iReport is part of an assignment:
Faith-shaking moments
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- Posted February 16, 2013 by
- ItsNotMe55 Follow
Location
Round Rock, Texas
Round Rock, Texas
Assignment
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I came from a Christian family, but during my teen and college years I was rebellious, like many, if not all young men. I was skeptical about the Christian perspective of a living God that matters in any way. There were some interesting stories in the Bible, but you would have to be a fool to believe they were the inerrant word of the father of the universe. My life was a struggle as I tried to figure life out on my own. My parents, friends and others didn’t really know how to guide me. I guess I was so stubborn and opinionated that it was difficult for anyone to want to try very hard to change my mind. Maybe they did try hard, but I wasn’t going to be moved. Anyway, I had to take the hard path and find out at about the age of 29 that my life was going nowhere, I was alone and very unhappy. My job had been dangerous, frustrating and unsatisfying for about 4 years, but it had been the best job I had ever had, so I didn’t dare quit. I thought there was a good possibility that that was as good as life would ever get. That was depressing to consider.
I worked as an agriculture researcher and one day I was out in the field by myself with a heavy quota to deliver before the sun got too hot. In a split second, like a passing thought, I became very aware that life was so unsatisfying because I was trying to make my flip-flopping desires the reason for life. In that moment, I was keenly aware that satisfaction was too elusive to achieve and so it could not possibly be my purpose. After acknowledging that, I realized that the purpose for my life was established by my creator and pursuing that purpose was where I was going to find satisfaction. I have needs, but at best they can only be temporarily satisfied and I realized they were too elusive to be a goal. My needs must only be incidental to life.
I became hungry to learn all I could about that purpose. I turned to the foundation of Christianity that I grew up with. With a new perspective that there was evil in the world that wanted to ruin my life and keep me from my purpose, I rejected skepticism and tested an unquestioning faith that the living God had made himself known to me. Being painfully aware of the horrible person I had been, it finally seemed perfectly reasonable that I could only have a relationship with God if he were willing to overlook the time that I was his enemy. I accepted that God had made a way for me to have that relationship by substituting Jesus Christ for everything that was unacceptable in me.
For 28 years since then, I have seen that instant in the field as a pivotal moment in my life. Not only did my self image change, but everything else took a dramatic turn almost immediately. Through a series of unlikely events I found myself in a wonderful career in I/T. I became a respected husband and father of three beautiful daughters. Now, I lead a small group of parents in my home through my church. I try to help my daughters’ high school friends to see their created purpose and to realize that skepticism and arrogance are blinding forces that can really limit the fullness of life. My life is about acknowledging the living God actively fulfilling his purposes. My participation in God’s work is my pleasure and privilege and I respond to every opportunity I can, so of course, I could not pass up on this iReport prompt. Thanks CNN.
I worked as an agriculture researcher and one day I was out in the field by myself with a heavy quota to deliver before the sun got too hot. In a split second, like a passing thought, I became very aware that life was so unsatisfying because I was trying to make my flip-flopping desires the reason for life. In that moment, I was keenly aware that satisfaction was too elusive to achieve and so it could not possibly be my purpose. After acknowledging that, I realized that the purpose for my life was established by my creator and pursuing that purpose was where I was going to find satisfaction. I have needs, but at best they can only be temporarily satisfied and I realized they were too elusive to be a goal. My needs must only be incidental to life.
I became hungry to learn all I could about that purpose. I turned to the foundation of Christianity that I grew up with. With a new perspective that there was evil in the world that wanted to ruin my life and keep me from my purpose, I rejected skepticism and tested an unquestioning faith that the living God had made himself known to me. Being painfully aware of the horrible person I had been, it finally seemed perfectly reasonable that I could only have a relationship with God if he were willing to overlook the time that I was his enemy. I accepted that God had made a way for me to have that relationship by substituting Jesus Christ for everything that was unacceptable in me.
For 28 years since then, I have seen that instant in the field as a pivotal moment in my life. Not only did my self image change, but everything else took a dramatic turn almost immediately. Through a series of unlikely events I found myself in a wonderful career in I/T. I became a respected husband and father of three beautiful daughters. Now, I lead a small group of parents in my home through my church. I try to help my daughters’ high school friends to see their created purpose and to realize that skepticism and arrogance are blinding forces that can really limit the fullness of life. My life is about acknowledging the living God actively fulfilling his purposes. My participation in God’s work is my pleasure and privilege and I respond to every opportunity I can, so of course, I could not pass up on this iReport prompt. Thanks CNN.
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