“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
Student Stories
Stephen Ong Chung Hong
How important is the development of character in this life? Every act of life, however unimportant, has its influence in forming the character. The choices we make determine the outcome of the life we are to lead daily.
I come from a well-to-do family, the second son of four children. I was brought up in wealth and started my young man’s life ambitiously materialistic. Despite having much, I was never satisfied with what I had. The need to acquire more was always driving me to greater heights. I was into gambling, trading of stocks, shares and properties and traveled widely. I had all the accoutrements of success, including girlfriends, but contentment and peace of mind eluded me.
I was trying to have a higher aim and more ennobling purpose in life through the only avenues I knew how, possession of wealth and power, but was constantly frustrated by the emptiness of the return. They could not fill me. In spite of being baptized as a Christian 10 years ago, I was still searching for significance in my life, but failed to find it in the possessions I craved. The meaningless and aimless pursuits of the endless rounds of shopping, eating, entertainment with my girlfriend, and sleeping that we indulged in bothered me and brought no fulfillment. They were distractions which could not calm my disquiet interior.
The lowest point was when my girlfriend of 8 years left me at the most vulnerable time of my life. Her leaving me, which I felt as abject rejection of my personhood, hurt me deeply. It plunged me into depression. It was like a deep, black hole that I fell in and I found great difficulty climbing out of it. I wallowed in self-absorbed pity while listlessly wasting away my life. I felt I had lost everything, including faith in God.
I stayed away from Christians friends who knew I needed help and desired to bring me to church. I wanted nothing to do with them or God. Life was wretched as I went deeper into my numbing lifestyle of watching dvd’s through the night and sleeping during the day, waking only to feed myself to keep alive. As I sank to the bottom of the pit of misery and self persecution, God did not forsake me like I did Him. He led me to become a student in the Aenon Training Centre.
Aenon rescued me back from darkness with the light of God’s sacrificial tender love and mercies shinning brightly into my heart and mind. How could I miss such depth of assurance and power of an enriching life in His love and strength? God was with me all through my life of blinding missteps, weakness, and foolishness when I chose to forsake Him and walked through the broad way of error and destruction. I am so grateful that He did not close His door on me.
God waited with pitying, tender love for a lost sheep like me to return home. I realize now that the short span of time given to me on earth should be wisely improved. God calls us believers to exert a decided influence for Him and the right. He has given us His Truths and we should show their influence upon our lives and characters. God is holding my hand now in my walk through life and though I have lost everything, my beloved girlfriend and wealth, I am full of my Father’s riches in mind, spirit and daily companionship. He will carry me through. All praise be to a loving and almighty God.
