So, on December 14 at 1:22 a.m. I turned 30 while sleeping soundly in my comfy bed with two pillows, two blankets, and the room temperature just right.
Wikipedia defines an epiphany as “the sudden realization or comprehension of the larger essence or meaning of something.”
So, you ask, “Did I experience an epiphany when I turned 30 years old?”
In order to best answer that question, I must first give a little background on myself. I grew up with a serious sense of my sin, a serious view of the cost it took to forgive my sin and a serious understanding that trials and tribulations are a reality for the Christian. Thus, when I turned 18 I honestly assessed my life and its limited trials and tribulations and wondered when my tribulation would begin? When I turned 20 I wondered the same thing and each additional year I continued to wonder…when would I join the suffering of my brothers and sisters in Christ?
I think that each year I may have possibly been asking the wrong question. Could it be that what I needed most of all was to stream my focused attention upon the faith required to live each day for the glory of God no matter what I may see as my “trial and tribulation?” Perhaps what I needed most was to pray each day in the Spirit and in Jesus’ Name for God my Father to give me the faith I needed each day to live as a light among a dark and dying world. In other words, could it possibly be true that I have been asking the wrong question all these years?
I awoke in the early morning of December 14th in an American-kind-of-comfort-and-ease that my brothers and sisters in Christ in other countries have never experienced and I ask, “What is my epiphany?”
In all honesty, I don’t know if I have one…
Had I come to a sudden comprehension of a larger essence or meaning of life serving God?
In all honesty, I don’t think I have…
…and I think that’s okay. I am realizing that this does not have to be a disappointing or an erroneous thing. Rather, I see this as me maturing little by little as a follower of Christ…a follower who needs to struggle, fight and do battle by the Spirit of God and the grace of God each and everyday to pray for the faith needed to take great delight in the greatest Treasure, Jesus Christ, in whatever circumstances God providentially places me!
Wikipedia defines an epiphany as “the sudden realization or comprehension of the larger essence or meaning of something.”
So, you ask, “Did I experience an epiphany when I turned 30 years old?”
In order to best answer that question, I must first give a little background on myself. I grew up with a serious sense of my sin, a serious view of the cost it took to forgive my sin and a serious understanding that trials and tribulations are a reality for the Christian. Thus, when I turned 18 I honestly assessed my life and its limited trials and tribulations and wondered when my tribulation would begin? When I turned 20 I wondered the same thing and each additional year I continued to wonder…when would I join the suffering of my brothers and sisters in Christ?
I think that each year I may have possibly been asking the wrong question. Could it be that what I needed most of all was to stream my focused attention upon the faith required to live each day for the glory of God no matter what I may see as my “trial and tribulation?” Perhaps what I needed most was to pray each day in the Spirit and in Jesus’ Name for God my Father to give me the faith I needed each day to live as a light among a dark and dying world. In other words, could it possibly be true that I have been asking the wrong question all these years?
I awoke in the early morning of December 14th in an American-kind-of-comfort-and-ease that my brothers and sisters in Christ in other countries have never experienced and I ask, “What is my epiphany?”
In all honesty, I don’t know if I have one…
Had I come to a sudden comprehension of a larger essence or meaning of life serving God?
In all honesty, I don’t think I have…
…and I think that’s okay. I am realizing that this does not have to be a disappointing or an erroneous thing. Rather, I see this as me maturing little by little as a follower of Christ…a follower who needs to struggle, fight and do battle by the Spirit of God and the grace of God each and everyday to pray for the faith needed to take great delight in the greatest Treasure, Jesus Christ, in whatever circumstances God providentially places me!
I may never join the Church worldwide in their persecution, nor suffer in the same way as them. But, I can live faith-filled-ly in the place and setting in which God has placed me, praying for others’ faith as well and resting in all God is for me in Christ. You never know…maybe God is using my “little” trials of faith to prepare me for a day when my faith will be ultimately tested on the mission field.
Happy birthday, Elizabeth!
ReplyDeleteThank you Sarah!
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