Philippians Chapter 1, Part 2

Read PART 1 HERE.

Paul, formerly known as Saul, was a persecutor of the Saints, an enemy to God.

Then came a life-changing encounter, a change of heart, a new name.

Though we may not have walked the path Saul walked as a hard-core enemy to God, we, at some point in our lives, may have experienced some of what he experienced:

A LIFE-CHANGING ENCOUNTER WITH THE SPIRIT

These encounters can come during scheduled moments of prayer and soul-searching, or as unexpectedly as Saul’s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. When one has an encounter with the Spirit, what had once seemed impossible suddenly becomes possible, and life will likely never again be the same. Elder M. Russell Ballard once said, “The Holy Ghost is your spiritual GPS. It will tell you where you are and where you are going.” As we choose to move in the direction of the Spirit, we will led to places we could never navigate to on our own.

A CHANGE OF HEART

A change of heart leads to a new attitude, a new perspective, different life goals. I can’t think of having a change of heart without thinking of Shane. A towering figure, covered in tattoos and body piercings, he had lived the majority of his life with a hardened heart. Bitter, cruel, and unforgiving, his ruthless actions were a reflection of his internal pain. Upon confronting and dealing with the cause of his inner agony (the lack of a father-figure in his life) and turning to God, he experienced a mighty change of heart that led to a softening of his character, attitude, and actions. Today he is a devoted husband and father, a model citizen, and the perfect example of what it means to have a change of heart.

A NEW NAME

As Christians, we have taken upon our selves the name of Christ. Recently, I was reading a book about a man with the last name of Rinpoche. I learned that Rinpoche is a name given to highly respected religious teachers in the Buddhist religion. Upon learning what the word Rinpoche means, I admit to feeling a bit envious: Rinpoche is a term of respect that means “precious one”. “How wonderful it must be to be known as ‘precious one‘”, I thought to myself, feeling a bit slighted. Within moments, however, I realized the irony, for I, too, have been given a new name. At baptism, did I not take upon myself the name of Christ? In addition, in my church we are called Brother and Sister by fellow church-goers. I am called Sister. What more intimate name to be given than one that denotes family?

As I sat in church on Sunday and partook of the sacrament bread, I smiled as I remembered that I, too, have been given a new name.

I, too, have been chosen.

I, too, am called to be a teacher–a missionary.

I, too, am precious in the eyes of my Master.

By recognizing life-changing encounters with the Spirit,

experiencing a change of heart,

and wholeheartedly taking upon myself the name of Christ,

I can experience my own ‘road to Damascus‘, where I die to my old ways and experience a rebirth.

Like Paul, I, too, can stop being a prisoner of my past.