Jesus Gave Me True Peace, Meaning and A Life Purpose
I was born in a Jatt Sikh family. My father taught me Sikhism when I was very young. I remember sitting with my father in deep meditations. But when I was ten years old, I questioned myself, “If I die today, will I go to heaven?” And it struck me that the answer was “No.”
I was however baptized in Sikhism (Amrit Chakna) when I was twelve. After the ceremony, I took the decision to live my life devoted to my religion and I will do everything that my religion demanded of me. But it did not happen; I could not live up to the expectations my religion was demanding from me. I began to feel condemned and strived hard to live a life that would please my deity.
This struggle haunted my spirit. I was then studying at a Christian school run by a church. A friend, who usually sat beside me challenged me one day; “Jolly, if you want to go to heaven, you will have to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ!” and this statement of his offended me greatly. I began hurling insults and angry words at him but he stood by his statement. Later, in my hostel room I thought for the first time, “why don’t I tell people to come to Sikhism if he or she wants to go to heaven?
What was it about Christianity that it can claim to be so?” These questions led me to read the Bible and also stories of people like Sadhu Sundar Singh and others. But I always rejected the Bible. Sometime later, a Christian friend of my mine who happens to be a teacher in the school as well, told me about Christ but I did not appreciate what he shared.
When I went to college I had everything; I was good at my studies and I was from a high status wealthy family deeply rooted in Sikhism. However, I began to struggle with my inner spiritual life. I had everything but I lacked peace and purpose of life. There was an inner emptiness I needed to fill. This quest in life led me to vices, which became addictions later. I started taking drugs, befriended bad company and did many more evil things.
But nothing gave me the peace I was seeking. Gradually, I became a drug addict and wanted to change myself but could not. I wanted to be a good student and son but I was not able to. The burden of it haunted me day and night. I was like apostle Paul in Romans chapter 7; a desire to do good but only the bad was happening.
Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Romans 7:21-24,
We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. Romans 7:14-20
In utter despair and frustration, I met my Christian friend and shared with him my struggles in life. He told me to give my life to Jesus and that Jesus can give me the peace that I was seeking. I asked him how could Jesus change me when my guru cannot and he replied simply, because Jesus died for you. That left a stirring and deep impression on my soul.
Later, I met with a pastor who shared something amazing with me; from 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” This verse really spoke to my heart, that Jesus is telling me to confess my sins before Him and He will do the rest for me.
After learning more from the pastor, I decided to write a letter to Jesus. I wrote: “Jesus I believe you came to this world, you died for my sins, you rose again from the dead. Jesus please forgive me. Come into my life and change me.” After writing, I closed my eyes and prayed this prayer and when I opened my eyes, I sensed a wonderful peace in my heart. I felt that burden of sins being lifted away from my life.
After that day, I began to see differences in my life and my attitude changed. I stopped taking drugs, did not mix with bad company and my dirty books were replaced with Christian books and the Bible. I felt a wonderful peace in my heart.
I started calling God my Heavenly Father. I started sharing with others what Jesus has done in my life.
After sometime, my father came to know about my conversion and he was very upset about it. He told me to stop what I was doing and to stop following Christ. But I refused to. When he saw that I was adamant in my decision, he asked me to leave the house.
With tears in my eyes, I left with the clothes on my back not knowing what to do or where to go. It has been many years now since I have not been back to my family’s home because of the deep hostilities and anger of my decision to follow Christ. I am as good as a dead son to my father.
But Jesus, in His faithfulness took care of me all these years. I am a married man today blessed with two beautiful children. We are delighted to be in God’s service together as a family.My Present Ministry
I have a desire to see the Sikh people of Punjab know Jesus Christ. I have started a few churches within my capacity and currently have ministries happening in five villages. There are no Christian outreach in these villages and we are working with some Sikh families who have accepted Christ and training individuals as well. We usually place a Church in a central location where we meet weekly to have Bible studies and evangelism. I have a gift of teaching and preaching so I love what I am doing passionately.
We want to train the believers in these five villages for the next six months and desire to see them bear fruit for the LORD. The work is hard but we want to keep growing in the Lord as well. I also have a deep desire to work with young people. But at present I am focusing on these five villages. Please keep us in your prayers; we have a vision to see the word spreading all over the Malwa region of Punjab. I believe we will see many more people come to know the Lord in the future.
Punjabi Bible Training
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