This Christmas, I know the exact gift I would like to give you. But I can’t.
It is the best gift you could possibly get, and it has great value. In fact, it is the Ultimate Gift, and it would bring me pleasure and excitement to give it to you. But it’s not mine to give.
So, I’ll do the next best thing I can think of instead. I’ll give you another present, one that will help you see how you can obtain the Ultimate Gift for yourself.
The Gift of Truth
It’s hard being a writer sometimes.
For me, it takes a lot of work, and there are trade-offs to consider. For example, I want what I write to be attractive to people wherever they are on their spiritual journey, whether they understand recovery or not, and even if they don’t know what they don’t know.
But I am about to say a few things some of you may not agree with or that might make you a bit uncomfortable. Because I have a commitment to myself, God, and you: to tell the truth.
The Ultimate Gift is faith in God through Jesus Christ, which is something I can’t give you. Faith and salvation are free gifts from God to you. The way you get them is to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. That transaction is between you and God.
But there is a present I can give you to help you obtain this Ultimate Gift: the Truth. And in this article, not only will I give you the Truth, but I’ll also show you the next right steps to get the Ultimate Gift for yourself.
My Personal Truth
There are many aspects of the truth that led me to God that you can explore on your own. You may not understand all the concepts involved but, frankly, none of us do. It makes sense that human beings might not understand everything about an all-powerful God.
You might disagree with parts of it, and you may want to argue whether it’s even the truth at all. That’s okay if you feel that way now, as long as you keep an open mind and heart. You can embark on your own journey to search for the truth using the material below.
But there is a truth that no one can debate with me. Because it is my truth.
My truth is that God is real – God is not an idea or an esoteric concept meant for only a few people. God is an all-powerful spiritual being that interacts with us in our time and space. He controls and influences real things with real people in real life. As Jesus, God came to earth as a real person, both man and God, and his existence is a proven historical truth.
My truth is that God loves me – I’m just being real to say that this one has sometimes been a struggle for me. When I first found God, I came to see how he loves his people. After all, he created us, gave us earth as a great place to live, and offers us amazing blessings. But it took me a while to fully accept that God loves me! Personally, and individually. And he loves you too.
My truth is that God is the Ultimate Gift – I lived almost 40 years without having much of a personal relationship with God. Now, I look back and wonder how I made it on my own, and I don’t see how people get by without God. He is the most important part of my life and the best thing that ever happened to me, and the blessings he brings are beyond amazing.
That is the truth.
The Ultimate Gift
The Ultimate Gift is faith in God through Jesus Christ. What does that gift include?
Forgiveness of sins – Every wrong thing you have done in the past is forgiven and forgotten by God. You get the incredible gift to be able to put down the burden of guilt and shame you may be carrying and know you are accepted exactly as you are.
God’s presence in your life – God wants to be your friend, guide, and counselor as well as your Lord and Savior. He will be with you in good times and bad. In tough times, he will be your lifeline to keep you afloat. All the time, he can help you along your journey.
Eternal life – The instant you accept Jesus, you receive the incredible gift of an eternal life with no pain, tears, or sorrow. You will never have to worry about death again. Yes, your worldly body will pass away at some point, but you will live forever in peace and joy.
While on earth, circumstances may still be hard at times, and you will continue to face struggles. But tough times will be less so, and you can find wonder and joy beyond anything you have experienced before.
On the practical side, I feel the wonder of this Ultimate Gift every day. I experience small blessings, divine appointments, and miraculous events on a regular basis. When I am worried, my prayers help calm me down and make me feel better. When I am down, God picks me up. When I am frustrated, frightened, or ashamed, I turn to God to find peace and hope.
And so it can be with you as well. If you choose to accept the Ultimate Gift.
The Search for Truth
Each person’s spiritual journey may have twists and turns that are different, but we’re all heading in the same direction. Wherever you are on yours, my wish for you is that you will sincerely pursue a search for the truth about God. What are some ways to do that?
Read or listen to this free eBook about God – This is a collection of stories I’ve written about the role God plays in our lives, and it is my gift to you. Each article has a podcast version, and I hope you will listen to these stories. The first few are about Christmas, but the rest guide you along a search for the truth, and the material is meant to give you both hope and encouragement.
Use the “Spiritual Wisdom” section of the STEPS website – The Next Right STEPS website is set up as a “Tool Kit for Real Life” with useful information about how to live life better. This section has a collection of resources you can use to search for the truth and learn about God. The existence of God is the most important thing in your life, so it makes sense for you to learn what you can.
Embark on a journey to search for the truth – This can start with a simple prayer as you tell God where you are (he already knows) and ask him to help you along the way. Talk to wise people whose faith has changed their lives. Read the Bible, even though parts of it will be hard to understand at times. If you like, you can email me and I will be glad to talk to you about it. I’ve been where you are.
No matter where you are on your spiritual journey now, you owe it to yourself, your family, and future generations to search for the truth about God. You’ll be glad you did.
The Next Right STEPS
The material we deliver through STEPS is meant to be practical and useful on a daily basis. It is proven to work, and it can work for you, if you are willing to take the Next Right STEPS.
But do you want to know a secret about STEPS material?
Much of what you read is based on the Bible. It is a design point of our ministry to take helpful principles from the Bible (as well as from recovery, psychology, philosophy, wellness, and personal development) and make them easy to understand and put into use.
STEPS added some additional, positive elements to its brand with the launch of the Next Right STEPS initiative. This life improvement process includes practical steps you can take to use all of your heart, your soul, your mind, and your strength to live life better.
Next Right STEPS also helps you search for epiphanies and miracles along your journey and identify values that can lead to positive breakthroughs in your life. This includes the 5 key values of Meaning, Purpose, Identity, Contribution, and Community. Do you want to know another secret? You can find breakthroughs in your life because God will GIVE you value in those 5 areas!
Once you choose faith in our all-powerful Creator, you will come to feel a sense of Meaning you have never experienced before. Over time, you will find Purpose that energizes and excites you. Your Identity will be secure, and you can set down your insecurities and guilt about who you are. You will see that you have talents unique to you and are meant to make a Contribution to the world that will bring you contentment. And you will find Community that is part of God’s plan for how his people are meant to live. Amazing!
God will also help you break the CHAINS (compulsive habits, addictions and idols, and negative self-talk) holding you captive to worry, fear, and shame. God offers you a holistic set of tools from a number of disciplines to live life better, and the purpose of Next Right STEPS is to help you use them. It will take humility and intentionality on your part, but God can add his supernatural power to help you break the CHAINS holding you from the peace, joy, and purpose you may be missing.
Using the Holidays to Take Steps
Christmas is a wonderful season when we notice our blessings, love others more freely, and think and talk about Jesus more than we normally do. New Year’s can be a useful time when we look back on the last twelve months and make plans for the future.
The holiday period provides a wonderful opportunity for you to take next right steps to live life better.
I wish I could give you the Ultimate Gift this Christmas, but I can’t. The good news is that you can obtain it. It comes from accepting the truth and choosing faith in God through Jesus Christ.
For you and your family, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. God bless you along your journey.
Question: Have you received the Ultimate Gift, or would you like to?
Action: Use the holidays to take next right steps to live life better.
