My experience with God…
In my life, having often found myself in confusing and difficult family, work and friendship situations, I began to reflect on the fact that something was wrong with me, so I began to question myself both because of my impetuous character and because whatever solutions I brought to the various problems I was faced with, I failed miserably, as did any advice offered by my various acquaintances.
In short, at that troubled time about 9 years ago, I was beginning to feel the need for a true and decisive Guide, but I did not know where to find it and who could help me.
Then I had 3 very incisive and extraordinary dreams that took me back to some biblical books and a voice told me that time was short, I had to get what I needed and get out of that dark and gloomy house quickly. When I opened the door I froze on the threshold because I had a vision of a sky and a dark, chaotic world all turned upside down and the voice told me to wait outside for further instruction: a place awaited me.
So, I asked a teacher colleague of mine, also a biblical scholar, who was substitute teaching at the same school at that time, what those dreams could mean. She replied that the Bible itself could reveal something. So she proposed a study of the Scriptures, also as a solution to my difficulties and as an answer to the many questions I was beginning to ask myself about the meaning of life, suffering, injustices in the world and much more.
I did not believe at all that the Bible was the inspired Word of God, but only a book written by men and moreover with many myths and legends, however I agreed to consider
this text, albeit with scepticism.
After having done several in-depth studies and research, especially on the prophecies, and after having started to put into practice some of the advice contained therein, I was forced to completely change my mind.
I was immediately inundated with so much knowledge and revelations about different truths concerning our Creator, and as I got to know Him, feelings grew within me that I had never felt for anyone, including esteem, trust and love.
Today, after a spiritual journey still in progress, I can say with absolute certainty that the Word of God has become the lamp that lights my path. It is faithful and true, and I will never deviate from it, despite the continuous attempts and attacks of the evil one who uses the most varied stratagems to belittle and obfuscate it, but what Satan tries to do most fiercely, especially through religions, is to shift the attention and adoration of people away from Jesus, the fulcrum and centre of the Gospel message, to himself.
By virtue of the redemption sacrifice, the position of Jesus Christ as the one and only mediator between God and man, and consequently the only one to merit my and our pure adoration. There is no man or angel or organisation that can take the place of Jesus!
In the light of these certainties I want, more than ever, to be faithful and obedient to all the teachings and perfect instructions of my Lord Jesus Christ who came to
reconcile us with our heavenly Father. He died and rose again for me and all who would follow him, nailing my, our sins to that cross of torture.
That is why I have decided to be publicly baptised as a sign of obedience and submission to Jesus the only Lord and Master of my life in a commitment to bury my old self for a full spiritual rebirth to new life.
Jesus, who was without blemish and without sin, loved us so much that he died in that atrocious way to save us, taking upon himself all the wickedness of the world, for the sake of all mankind, both good and bad, and to give us true life, that is eternal life.
So I ask myself: “How can one remain indifferent to this undeserved grace?” Besides feeling immense gratitude towards God who gave us His only begotten Son and towards Jesus who sacrificed Himself for us, the least I can do is to act according to His will and for me it is a real honour to do so, I feel truly privileged to obey Him and, above all, that He considered me and called me in such an extraordinary way. When I did not yet know Him and, as I explained at the beginning, I was immersed in absolute chaos, God wanted to take me by the hand to accompany me along the right path, teaching me to follow in His footsteps.
This realisation makes me breathless because He is the ruler of the whole universe and I am a microscopic speck of dust, yet He has graced me with His merciful and benevolent gaze. What can I say… all this makes me breathless!
There is not a day or a moment that goes by that my thoughts do not turn to Him and I recognise His presence in everything that happens in my life. His plan is becoming more and more clear to me every day and this is amazing.
The Lord now dwells in me and nothing and no one can ever tear Him from my heart, I am completely immersed in His love and He in mine. And the mere vague thought that He
And the vague thought that He might flee, move away from me, plunges me into the deepest abyss, into indescribable despair because without Him there is no life, no light, no breath, no hope, but only thick darkness.
But then I come to my senses and realise that my heavenly Father could never abandon me/us, at most it could be us men who leave Him. In my case, I am sure that such a thing will never happen because I love Him too deeply without reservation like no one else in the world.
Nothing and no one is more precious and important than you, Jesus!
Chiesa Sharon Lanciano 