Have you ever experienced a life changing event? Did the change ‘take’? I would define ‘take’ as some event that caused a significant change for you and that you ended up using it to build upon. I have and I’ll never be the same. Then again, that’s what a life changing event does – it changes you. The change can be for the improvement/betterment of you or it can be a negative to who you are and become. I believe that life changing events are simply that – life changing. How we respond to them and then what we do with them determines if it was positive or negative.
I’m defining ‘a changed life’ in the positive sense. Whatever the event, it turned out to be a defining moment that you could point to and say that at that time you experienced a change. Also in my world of definitions, you can see that the event marked your life in such a way that you did take on a new direction. The most important life changing event for me was when I first accepted Jesus as Lord. I still find that phrase strange – that it is our choice, it is we who make the decision to accept or reject His offer.
What happens with a life changing event is that many of your attitudes, choices and behaviors change. If they don’t then can you really say you experienced a life changing event? By definition I don’t think you can. The ‘how’ of the change varies from person to person even if the event is similar. It has to be your choice on even the ‘if’ of a changed life. I would suggest that you can experience a life changing event and never let it change your life.
Change can be a tad scary because you are venturing into unknown territory. I believe you must be confident in the change and in your new foundation. And you must be willing to learn, grow in understanding about what happened and what it will mean for your future, especially as it defines who you are and are becoming.
