I first came to know the faith through my grandfather who is Catholic and from being in a Catholic school for 9 years. Growing up, I witnessed how faithful my grandfather was in his faith and he had often urged me to pray. When his health started to deteriorate, he often asked me to pray for him and with him. I started to attend mass frequently as a non-Catholic. Naturally, my relationship with God developed. Witnessing how my grandfather turned to God in his struggles, to surrender and trust in Him inspired me to turn to God through the Catholic faith and to take a deeper look at my world, one that was rooted in secularism. After my grandfather was called home to the Lord, by the grace of God, a close friend invited me to come to know Jesus Christ and encouraged me to start living a more Christ-centred life. That is first through my conversion to be a Catholic.
During my journey with God, I wrestled with this thought that my faith could wait. Life was “busy”; I was pursuing a career and other things that I thought would matter. So I was comfortable being a free thinker, and converting to Catholicism was never really an important priority in the long list of things I was pursuing. I had the mindset that I had unlimited time in this world and could pursue all these things first and think about God later in my older age. However, having lost people close to me who were young due to sudden illness and a road accident, it became apparent to me that time could be taken away from anyone, anytime. I did not want to have any regret about not becoming Catholic earlier in life and waiting until time is taken away from me, or in the face of illness.
The truth is that the Father Himself withholds nothing good from us. In Matthew 7:11, it says “If you then who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven, give good things to those who ask Him”. In fact, He promises us what the world cannot give us – “eternal life”. In John 3:16 it is written: “For God so loved us that he gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but may have eternal life”. That is the biggest truth that was revealed to me and led to the conversion of my heart. It seems like my whole life – being in a Catholic school, growing up in a Catholic environment, had led me to this point. Having this relationship with God has allowed me to recognise and receive many gifts from God. For example, the gift of prayer has helped me in times of my struggle with anger. Even in my daily life, the gift of prayer has given me comfort and strength to face life’s greatest challenge. God’s love and saving power has taught me to love others unconditionally through his unconditional love for me.
St Augustine once wrote, “You have made us for yourself, and our hearts will be restless until they rest in You”. The restlessness that I felt in my life before coming to know Jesus has now found its home in Jesus. I can now say my life after knowing Jesus has been a great one as it is now that I am living a new life with him. God is Love. He is faithful to me even when I am not.
My friend, God desires for you to come and see, to come and know him and see how he is about to move in your life. Will you accept this invitation and come and see?
– Pamelia Zoe Seah, 27
