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Peace from Jesus
or, My Surrender to Jesus
by Princy
I come from Kerala, a south-western state in India. Growing up, I never really had a personal connection with God. To me God was someone who was distant and impersonal. I grew up to be an independent person who wanted to do things my own way. I wanted to have full control on my life. I wanted to plan my life my way. A marriage was arranged for me as per the custom in India. By 2002, besides being married, I had two Masters degrees, and was working as a high school teacher.
In 2004, I came to Canada as an international student to do my PhD in Chemistry at the University of Saskatchewan. I was exposed to a totally different culture and some of the coldest temperatures I had ever experienced in my life. I was extremely scared because I did not know anyone here and wondered if I could survive this cold and lonely place. I was missing home, terribly. Slowly things started falling out of my control. There was tension in my married life. My husband wanted a divorce. All of a sudden nothing made any sense to me.
During that very confused and stressful period, I met Thomas from my hometown. He invited me to a Christian gathering on Campus, led By Gerry and Shirley (from Inter-varsity). I started attending their Bible studies and prayer meetings.
I felt very cared for and safe at that place. I felt I could unload all my pain and burden there. They prayed for me to God, the God who I had been ignoring all my life. I slowly felt Him drawing me closer to Him. I felt His peace in me. (Mathew 11:28-30). For the first time in my entire life, I felt He was so real and personal. I could talk to Him, cry out to Him. And I knew He was listening (Isaiah 49:15-16), where God says, "Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me."
For the first time I wanted to let my guard down and I wanted Him to plan my life. I needed Him in my life very badly. I wanted Him more than anything else. I accepted and welcomed Jesus into my life. He is my Saviour.
Every day He is teaching me to walk in faith. Life has never been the same again. I wake up in the morning excited to see what He is going to do next. When He places challenges in my life, I am excited to know what He wants to teach me through those challenges. And one of the most important things that he has taught me is Obedience. My husband is working a divorce through the courts. But I have forgiven him and am praying for him.
I am discovering that God had the best plans for me. I am living a full life now. I am not scared of anything. I can say with Psalm 23:4, Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. I have finished my PhD, and written my thesis, and God has already provided a job, as a researcher with a Christian professor in New Brunswick. I wanted the job God had planned for me and I also wanted His confirmation. He has graciously given me this.
God has answered my prayers. (Proverbs 3:26). The very best thing that I have received in my walk with God is His Peace, which is absolutely amazing. And I received this Peace by surrendering myself to Him. I want my life to be a testimony for Him.
You may also receive this great gift - Peace from Jesus.
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