As we begin looking at our magnificent, transcendent God, I am reflecting on how He has patiently drawn me toward Himself. Here is the second of four major turning points.

In my early-to-mid-twenties, as I was entering adulthood, I longed to be all God wanted me to be. But I didn’t really know how, despite a thorough grounding in the Church’s teachings. I tried self-discipline, thinking that it held the answer to a productive and fruitful life. I tried in-depth Bible study, suspecting that somewhere in its pages were hidden secrets that only the astute could discover. Both self-discipline and Bible study are important, but neither proved to be the answer I was seeking.

Over time I realized that God doesn’t reserve His blessings only for the spiritual elite. In fact, I learned the opposite. God graciously showed me that the secret to a satisfying life was the simple truth I had learned as a young child in Sunday School: God is a real Being, and He is constantly, personally with us. What’s more, what He wants from us is amazingly, stunningly simple: He only asks that we trust Him, one step at a time.

Even as I say this now, the words seem so plain. But the personal realization of an ever-present God and a relationship of simple faith began to change me.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: You Are Near, O Lord
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