I forget where I got this from, but I read somewhere about the importance meeting and maintaining a good relationship with these types of people in your life - your best friend (spouse) to love you for who you are, your friends to support you, and your mentors or teachers to guide you. I want to focus on the last one today. There can be a career mentor who is more experienced in the field you're in, such as your professor, who counsels you in regards to your career path. There can also be a Christian mentor. The role of a Christian mentor is similar to that of a career mentor - as a more seasoned Christian, he/she counsels and disciple you in your spiritual life.
I met my Christian mentor for lunch today. She was my one-to-one Bible study leader that I met in my first year of university, and she helped me shape my spiritual life eversince I became a Christian. When I have questions about my spiritual life and Christianity, she is my second go-to person to seek advice (My number one go-to person is Jesus for anything and everything in my life from the smallest things to the biggest problems!). Before knowing her, Christianity was merely a religion to me. I never knew that you can have a personal relationship with God (read my testimony below to learn more about how I became a Christian). I'm so glad and thankful that God has provided me with such a wonderful Christian mentor in my life.
As I am given with wonderful mentors in my life, I also want to mentor people. Whether I be a Christian or a career mentor (I prefer both!), I hope to mature in both my spiritual life and career to counsel younger friends who are in need of advice and help.
***
Here is my testimony that I prepared for my confirmation:
I was
born into a Christian family where I was baptized as an infant. Since I was a
little girl, I was going to church with my family. From Sunday school, I
learned about stories in the Bible and about Jesus. Although I learned how to pray, I prayed to
God only when I needed Him or when I wanted something from Him. In the middle
of my high school years, my family was looking for a new church to settle down.
During that time I went to the adult service with my parents and missed an
opportunity to grow in wisdom through Bible studies.
Until
university, my understanding of Christianity was like a set of rules that I
needed to follow. For instance, going to church every Sunday and praying before
a meal, and keeping myself away from doing anything too terrible. I felt like I
was doing a pretty good job at keeping these ‘rules’ as they became a habit. I
even considered myself a good Christian based on these. When I started
university, I wanted to join a Christian club to know more about God and to build
the fellowship that I had missed out on during my teenage years. Through Bible
studies from one Christian club, I began to realize that I had been living a
self-centred life and everything that I had been doing was about me. I also
learned that I couldn’t reach God because of my sins. However, because God
loved me, He sent His only Son Jesus Christ to save me from the wrongs I had
done, and to give me the gift of eternal life. I admitted that I was a sinner
and accepted Jesus as my Saviour and Lord of my life. As I discovered more
about God, I came to realize that God desired a personal relationship with me.
There
were times when I was really drawn to God, but there were also times when I was
distant from Him. Recently, a verse in James stood out to me, which goes “what
good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? … faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by
action, is dead” (James 2: 14-17). After reading this verse, I reflected on my
life since I became a Christian. I questioned myself if I had been living a Christ-centred
life by obeying God. I said I would do
whatever God wants me to do, but I realized that I was merely saying these
words. I told God that I want to live
for Him, but that was it. In my actions, I wasn’t doing anything in God’s way.
I told God I want to listen to Him, but I never sought to listen. I told God I
want to be used by Him, but I was never willing. Although it’s been a while
since I first became a Christian, I want to dedicate my life once again to God
through confirmation, and fully experience God through faith and obedience.
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