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A Defining Moment
By Rick Berry | August 13, 2005
Epiphany:
A: A revelatory manifestation of a divine being.
B: A sudden manifestation of the essence or meaning of something.
C: A comprehension or perception of reality by means of a sudden intuitive realization: “I experienced an epiphany, a spiritual flash that would change the way I viewed myself” (Frank Maier).
I just spent the last two and a half days experiencing epiphany after epiphany after epiphany. I have realized that God gave me hands to do his work. I have examined them closely and found them to be relatively empty. I searched my heart and found my holy discontent. My Popeye moment. That point in life where I say “That’s all I can stands - I can’t stands no more”!! I have found that I no longer want to hear about what Christians are against. I want only to hear what Christians are for. I know I need to glorify God by doing my assignment and I know that with every appointing, comes annointing.
I can go on and on. I tried to keep notes, but that is sometimes difficult when your eyes are flooded with the tears of self realization, pain, shame, understanding, joy, love, worship, anticipation and excitement. I have just experience a complete spiritual checkup and have been diagnosed with apathy and have received an injection of vision and direction.
The 2005 Willow Creek Leadership Summit has moved me like no other event I have ever experienced. Let me briefly explain some of the terms I have used and what they mean.
First off, that moment of holy discontent is that condition, event, or issue that will move you into action. Martin Luther King’s moment of holy discontent was the issue of civil rights.
What is in your hands. In other words, what have you done with what God has given you. Remember that all we have been given is not really ours. It is on loan from God. We need to do something with it. We need to give ourselves to him and use what he has given us for his purpose. We will all be asked, “What did you do with Christ who was given to you?????”
Popeye always said “That’s all I can stands - I can’t stands anymore” just before he ate his spinach and sprang into action.
None of these concepts are mine. They are illustrations from the incredible speakers at the Summit. Speakers who all had the ability to reach deep into the depths of my heart and cause me to consider my life and my direction. There were many many more than I have time to tell you about. I would love to re-create the entire event for you, but I cannot. I can, however, urge you to never miss another Leadership Summit. Never miss an opportunity to learn more about what God has given you and never fail to search for his purpose for you. We refer to our little church as seeker sensitive or seeker friendly. Never ever ever forget that we are all seekers and we will always be seekers.
I will write more. With a fervor and with a conviction and an immense sense of calling, I will write more. It is my task and my assignment. It is my gift and my passion. No more will my hands be empty. My moment of holy discontent is the hunger, fear, sickness and abuse of children right here in the community in which I live. I was shown my life, my purpose and my call to action this week. This is a fire that will never burn out. Relevance, purpose, vision, action, grace, conviction and significance now drive me.
How about you??
Rick
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