About halfway through my military career, I had grown accustomed to having a strict and regimented order in almost every facet of my life. I would get up every morning at the same time, have a set uniform for my work, and have a specific time to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Carrying out every task during my workday required precise procedures that could have physically dangerous consequences if I deviated.
Everything seemed to have been ordered regarding my physical life and career. However, when it came to my life of faith at the time, everything seemed random and lacked direction. I sincerely believed in God. However, I felt myself trying to quench a thirst that was not being satisfied by the various customs and practices of the different churches I would attend. I would even find myself praying to God while opening the bible to a random verse, hoping God would show me where to go by whatever verse my finger landed on.
It was not until one day that my teenage cousin, who was living with me at the time, let me know that some people from the Church of God had knocked on our door earlier that day when I was not home and wanted to come to study the bible with us that things changed. I invited them to my home a few days later, and one by one, they taught me about God’s commands, which I realized I was not keeping. First, about the Passover, then about the Sabbath. I could not deny that as a Christian and believer in Christ, I should practice God’s commandments as Jesus taught us.
Since I wanted to go to heaven, I was determined to learn and study more and learn how to follow God properly. As I continued to research and understand the origin of our spirit, the purpose of our life, and where we are going (and how to get there), I was finally able to see God is not just a concept but exists. Moreover, it became evident that God has a concrete plan for his children and is not a God of chaos, but a God of order, which I could put my trust in. I am filled with joy and gratitude that, though I sought God, it was God who found me. Attending the Church of God has given me the confidence I can go to heaven following all the teachings of the bible joyfully.
