They love one another. They never fail to help the widows; they save orphans from those who would hurt them. If they have something they give freely to the man who has nothing; if they see a stranger, they take him home, and are happy, as though he were a real brother. They don’t consider themselves in the usual sense, but instead brothers through the Spirit, in God.
–ARISTIDES, describing Christians to Emperor Hadrian
If God is real (and I believe He is), then He can change lives. The founders of Alcoholics Anonymous recognized this long ago. They discovered it was unlikely for recovery to occur unless the participant yielded to a Higher Power. Only with the help of God could the stranglehold of alcohol be loosened. In effect, God’s power had to replace addiction’s power, the net result being a transformed life.
Such personal testimonies about God’s life-changing nature are ubiquitous. Men and women mired in the most despicable circumstances imaginable have miraculously overcome to become brand new people. When asked how it was possible for them to break through, they are neither hesitant nor ashamed to give credit where credit is due. Their near-unanimous reply is that a renewed faith in God was the key.
What these individuals have discovered is this: God, the Giver of life, is also its Restorer. Sometimes the transformation may be instantaneous, akin to that of Paul or Augustine. More often the change, though no less dramatic in the end, is more gradual. But whether arrived at by exponential multiplication or slow addition, the answer to the equation of life has always been God. He is the common denominator of transformed lives.
As an example of the process by which many have embraced God and become new people, consider the journal of this anonymous recoverer:
For years we tried on our own to make new starts, to give up the addictions and obsessions that were destroying us. We wanted desperately to leave the past behind—to forgive and forget. We did the best we could to change the way we felt about ourselves and others.
While in some cases there was progress, we all reached a point from which we could advance no further. We saw that our personal resources were limited; clearly, we lacked the power to bring about deep and lasting change. It was then that we finally sought help...
We saw indisputable evidence among our new friends that belief in a Higher Power had dramatically changed their lives for the better... Nevertheless, some of us remained leery of “the God thing.”
...It was drummed into me as a boy that religion was “the opiate of the masses.” I was taught that God was an invention designed to make people complacent and malleable through false hope… It’s little wonder that I was extremely uncomfortable with the spiritual concepts that were obviously a part of the recovery experience. When people talked about turning their wills and lives over to the care of God, I thought they had been brainwashed... When they expressed their gratitude to God, my stomach churned.
Coming to believe in a Power greater than myself was a slow and arduous process. It took several years to let go of my old ideas and open my mind to new ones. When I finally did come to believe, not just with my mind but with all my heart, that’s when my life began anew...
Now that we have welcomed God into our lives, all that was previously impossible has become possible. With each passing day, we believe more deeply in His power to bring about positive and long-lasting changes... Thanks to God, our lives today have meaning and purpose. Self-pity and despair have given way to a sense of usefulness. We have grown less self-centered and more giving...
Since discovering the rewards of faith, we experience every dimension of our lives in wholly different and more fulfilling ways than when we relied exclusively on our own resources…
What we had to do was wipe the slate clean, so to speak, in order to give ourselves and God a chance. We had to consciously put aside all of our misconceptions so that we could become receptive to new ideas. We had to continue listening open-mindedly, until hope returned and eventually became truth…
I can’t see you or touch you, God, but there’s no question in my mind and heart that you are with me now and forever. There were times when I doubted your love, even your existence, but today you are the most tangible reality in my life... Over time, through your loving kindness, I have been transformed into a productive participant in life, someone who can make a difference.
I dare say that neither Paul nor Augustine could have depicted God’s transforming power any better.
-Dear God, You Sure Don't Act Like You're Alive (Day 49)
No comments:
Post a Comment