Don’t Waste Your Life (a short story of God’s working in my life)
Posted on 07. May, 2010 by William Jacobson in Christian Living
I have wasted many years of my life. Growing up as a teenager, I threw so much of my life away being lazy. Instead of giving my best at school and striving for good grades, I chose to do the bare minimum in order to do what I wanted to do. I spent way more time playing video games and trying to hook up with girls. As a result, I graduated with the minimum GPA qualifying me for Community College only. Not that there is anything wrong with Community College, but its not where I wanted to be. So after high school I just lived the life I always wanted to live. What is that life you may wonder? That life consisted of doing nothing with a side of nothing. I loved playing Madden football/drinking soda/playing basketball/ and going to the movies. This was my entire life. And I loved it. I knew I wanted to have a career one day with a family, but as for then, I was content doing nothing.
Fast forward 6 years later and many things have changed but not all. I was saved at 19 and moved a couple hours north. I got a job, found a church and made new friends. I began pursuing a career at 19 while being heavily involved in the churches youth group. Around 20 or 21, God called me to full time ministry. I didn’t know what that meant at the time, but I knew all I wanted to do was serve the Lord. Meanwhile I was jumping from job to job trying to find a place I could move up. I wanted to grow up and be a man who could take care of himself. At about 22, God called me to be a preacher/pastor. With this new found desire, I started to pursue this call. I packed my my bags at 23, moved to Virginia and started attending Liberty University looking to receive my B.A. in Biblical Studies. Long story short, I never finished my degree there. This marks sort of a wilderness experience for me. I went to Bible college to pursue Gods calling on my life. But I left in disobedience because I wanted to live a lazy life indulging in my own sin. Shortly after leaving LU, I moved to NYC to take a great job. My plan was to settle down up there and maybe be in ministry one day. But God wouldn’t let me go. He began to shake my world until I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I knew I was being disobedient and I needed to repent. So I moved back to Florida and got involved in a local church plant. I enrolled in Community College and started serving faithfully in the church.
I am now a full-time student and hold the in house coordinator position in the church. God has made me a rotating preacher and I may be starting seminary classes in January at RTS (Reformed Theological Seminary). I still struggle with laziness and wasting time, but I am learning each day what it means to redeem my time.
To God Alone Be The Glory!
How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? -Proverbs 6:9
The sluggard’s craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work. -Proverbs 21:25
A little sleep, a little slumber, little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man. -Proverbs 24: 33-34
