Still waiting for a Christmas Gift? Have you accepted the one God has been leaving for you?
People desire a lasting inspiration. Much of what life offers is assimilated in one form or another, presumably for your own good. Some of those life directions you sought and some just happened to you, both good and bad. There are experiences you would do again, some things you would not, and given a choice, you may have done things in another way. Yet it all can can be part of a uniquely and divinely endorsed path.
As Steve Jobs pointed to this in his speech at the Stanford Commencement in 2005:
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
I spent much of life wondering what I would or should aspire to do. I’ve been lead in many directions (and these are only the main ones): During high school I had a certainty that I would go to college to learn mechanical drafting and auto mechanics, but when the country suffered a hostage crisis in November 1979, I thought rather to serve patriotically in the Navy with an eye on a military career straight after graduating high school.
I served an incredible 6 years in the U.S. Navy’s Silent Service, and then as fate would have it, decided it would be worthwhile to return home to run my father’s electric car business instead of reenlisting.
After working my heart out for a couple years and I discovered my father’s business was not the thing for me for the rest of my life, there was a point where I survived a state of depression when I was faced with my personal failure.
While still running the electric car business, I entered a discovery period when I sought several career ideals, the two most prominent were following in the steps of my brothers and becoming a California Highway Patrol Officer or a IC Mask Layout Designer. I ended up with the cubical job.
About a decade rolled by which culminated with helping a startup semiconductor company go public. Inspired to return to the Navy, I prepared to become a Navy Chaplain ( a Masters program), but after I got married, and upon a 2 year period of reconsideration, I ended up pursuing Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture (another Masters Program).
It turns out I should have known a lot more about managing finances and running a business, one of the lessons I should have figured out when I was running the electric car business. Faced with having to raise a family, I ended up continuing my engineering career and on the side begin learning how to improve my understanding of finances and business.
Along the way, I sought leadership. I remember one commentator stating something to the effect of “… the country is in desperate need for leadership at all levels.”
I found myself in that group, seeking leadership and mentors in the various aspects of life, either professionally or in my side interests, sometimes in person and sometimes through books or online material. I consider myself a person who had an emptiness that no one, regardless of how successful they were or how much I admired or respected them, could fill that unquenchable desire that was inside of me.
Without having been able to fill that void, I found myself in that spiritual area of desolation where my paradigms proved derelict and unworthy. From the outside I may have looked fine, but inside I was a wreck.
Without building my life and marriage upon the cornerstone of Jesus Christ, God was waiting for me to finally respond to His leading inspired by the way written about in the Bible.
Like the last simple and neglected present, I finally unwrapped the gift God left for me.
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” – John 10:9-11
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” – John 10:27
Christ provides the living water and its inexhaustible peace and blessings for us to experience beginning now in this life and extending into life eternal. Don’t wait until you die, accept the gift now while you can!
I am drawn to the following passage from Paul’s letter to the Philippians, it which stands out to one who has a determined desire to surrender to Jesus as Lord and wondering about misdirections in ones past:
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. – Philippians 4:6-8
The discipline of seeking God elevates the understanding of the attributes that Paul lists in his letter. Focusing on the virtues of God will direct one to the truth of the matter. In addition, the standards of God’s laws offers a true compass heading.
Two stories come to mind that can help give context to being lost in life and then being called by God:
Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. – John 9:1-3
The blind man who received his sight then was able to speak the truth with uncommon courage and spiritual power, then accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior once he recognized Him.
Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. – Acts 9:1-3
While Saul was traveling between cities to terrorize and persecute more Christians, the Lord appeared and spoke to Saul. It was an unmistakable sign of the Risen Christ. The Lord initiated this confrontation to call Saul to trust in Him and to correct his misdirected zealous energy, understanding of the Law, cultural savvy, and deep intellect, for the benefit of the Church.
You may very well find that coming to a saving faith in God is neither by chance nor by your will.
No matter what your background, whether you have been literally or spiritually blind all your life or you are greatly at odds against the Jesus as Lord, the power and grace of God can reach even you.
***
For a detailed explanation of who Jesus Christ is from the Bible’s perspective go to the video in this website , “Who is Jesus Christ?”
For a review of the Ten Commandments: https://www.challenyee.com/the-ten-commandments/
CKY
***
Copyright © 2023 ChallenYee.com Some Rights Reserved