Many of us enjoy the quizzes and random questions we often see on Facebook. ‘ Are you a Genious? Nobody can get 10/15 of these trivia questions. Can You?’ I have probably tried them all and failed many, I’ll admit. One question recently asked of every one was: What was the happiest moment of your life? Like most who answered, my thoughts quickly went to the births of my three children. Though these were among the best moments of happy I have enjoyed, there was one that rose above them….the moment I decided to believe and accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. That was the deal breaker for me. No other moments of happiness have matched it, before or since.
I made the decision to follow Jesus during a revival at the small Baptist church which other members of my family already attended. I knew little about God or the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, but I did know I needed something more, something that would explain why I was here and what I was supposed to be doing….the meaning of life if you will. After a few futile attempts at finding the answers in the Bible, I had given up. Who could understand such out-dated words and why was it so full of so-and-so begat so-and-so?
Weeks before, I had listened to Billy Graham on TV. He told of a shepherd who cared for one hundred sheep and one wandered away. “A good shepherd would leave the ninety-nine sheep behind and search for the one who was lost,” he said. I was almost 17 years old and that was the extent of my knowledge of Jesus, but I knew, I was that lost sheep.
That night, at the revival the preacher told us, “Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart, don’t leave here tonight without letting Him in.” As the invitation music played, I pushed the hymnal I was sharing with my brother into his hands, pushed past him, my mom and my sister and made my way down the aisle. The Pastor took my hand and I told him, “I want to be a Christian.”
I really had little idea what being a Christian would be like, but if it took away the feeling of being alone in a world full of people, answered some of my questions and saved my soul from hell, that’s what I wanted. It wasn’t an easy decision. I fought hard against it, but that night I was tired running away from the truth. I needed something, and it sounded like Jesus Christ was the answer….and He was! It was the beginning of a relationship I appreciate more and more as the years go by. Just the fact that now, God knows who I am was enough to make my heart overflow. The God of the universe, creator of the world, had called me to come to Him and promised to never leave or forsake me. I was no longer alone in my feelings or my thoughts. He knew every one of them and would help me sort them out. Never before, or since, have I felt so loved.
How many problems could a 17-year-old who had been raised in a large, loving family really have, you might ask? Not a lot back then maybe, as compared to what some face today, but a problem is a problem to the one facing it, especially for a young person just learning what life is all about. Being shy, not really pretty or popular, pimples, crooked teeth, and low self-esteem are only basic problems many teenagers worry about and find impossible to overcome….and I had them all….but God loved me anyway! What a feeling of honor I felt to be counted as one of His own. To me it meant that when I see Him face to face, even if there’s a crowd of people there, He will look at me and KNOW who I am! I won’t have to explain myself, answer a million questions or anything….He’ll just know! What a relief to have that, when you’re shy and find answering personal questions about feelings and why you do what you do so impossible to deal with.
Complete happiness came later after I went to bed and began to pray….and for the first time knew my prayers were being heard. Life felt new, I felt new, and ready to face whatever life had to offer because I no longer had to face it by myself.
My prayer today is for the young people. Those who are facing problems, big or small, who are looking for answers and just want to be happy. You won’t find it in a job, finding a mate, getting married, having kids….all of those are nice, but they won’t fill that emptiness. The happiness they bring will be only temporary. Accepting Jesus and following Him is the only way to truly know what happiness is. Open up to Him and He will show you the way. I promise, accepting Him as your Savior will be the happiest moment of your life too.
