You don’t know what you’re missing

by Glen on 2001-06-20 00:17:39

Regardless of whether you grew up in a “nice” family, or not, you’ve probably
become used to the idea that your life probably won’t be all that different
from that of your parents.

Oh sure, you hope things will turn out better… you may hope to make better
money and have nicer things than they did – but so far, there’s not much
difference in what kind of person you are. When you’re honest with yourself,
you might even feel that your parents are better people than you think you are.

You may already have everything you ever wanted, but now that you’ve got it,
something is still missing – but you don’t know what. You may be at a turning
point!

When I was eighteen, I was just beginning to head down a path of self-
destruction. I was drinking, watching smutty TV shows, and staying out late.
To some, that may not seem like much, but that wasn’t how I was raised – and
that fact always tugged at the back of my mind.

One day, I realized that if I kept up this lifestyle, I would become like the
people I was hanging out with. God was challenging me to get off the fence
and decide WHICH side I was going to live on – the wordly side, or His side.

I had been taught that God’s plans for my life were GOOD plans, and I could
clearly see that my plans were only heading me to an empty, wasted life. I
decided to get off the fence onto God’s side, and I committed my life to Him.
It’s not like this was an easy thing to do, because this meant leaving my
best (and pretty much only) friend, so I could be around better examples
until my life stabilized more.

The next few years were pretty lonely for me. I was surrounded by more bad
examples than good, and it was difficult to keep my mind pure. I wavered
wildly back and forth across that fence. Then I decided to leave the local
University I was attending and go to a technical University while living in
a Christian fraternity. There I met some Christian men that made a
significant impact on my life. They were good examples of men trying to
live a life that pleased God.

Following graduation, I was given an awesome job and shared an appartment
with a Christian man who loved God and was deeply committed to Him. The
number of Christian friends I had kept growing and growing – and I eventually
married a woman who had become my best friend.

Less than two years after getting married, I realized that I had no mission
or purpose for my life. I was happily married, had one child (and another
on the way), and had every posession I needed. But what good was I? Without
some life-goal, what’s a person good for? I didn’t want to waste my life.

Growing up in church, I had always been presented with a limited set of deeds
that a person could do as a “mission” – like being a missionary or a pastor.
These weren’t things that matched my personality – and I couldn’t imagine
God wanting me to work for Him, doing something I didn’t enjoy. I’d never
have a smile on my face!

One day, I realized that I could take a hobby that I enjoyed quite a bit, and
turn it into a ministry to tell others about God – and help other people tell
other people about God. In a way, my hobby is like being the chauffer to a
missionary who goes around the world telling people about God. I’m an
enabler. And for years, this has been very satisfying for me to serve God
this way. I really feel that my life has worth and purpose.

If every person could see how much God loves them, their lives would never be
the same. Realizing God’s love for me has changed my life many times, and
I want to love Him back! My hobby is now a way for me to love God.

How about you? Does your life have a worthy purpose? Will your children be
proud of what you were and did when you are long gone? Whose life will be
different because you lived? And are you a friend with God?

Please consider giving your life to God, and seeing just how much purpose
He has for you!