I am fairly new to Initiatives of Change. I’ve been going to meetings in Sheffield since about 2009. I still don’t really know what it means to 'belong' to IofC. I go to meetings because I am inspired by the reports I hear from people who do more than just talk about problems of our age, but do something about them. I also take some delight in sharing my own experiences. I do this, not out of any pride, but because it honours the God who motivates and empowers me to share His love. I, myself, am weak. But because God is working in me, I can draw on His strength.
I hear stories of networking where people with ideas meet people with resources. I marvel at how these meetings come about. I have had many meetings which have led to working relationships toward some strategic aim. These meetings were not planned by me or the other party. Nor did they happen by accident or chance. Then what was it that brought them about but the same God who organises all events for those who have given themselves over to His will?
I hear stories of resources being forthcoming for projects when such providence did not seem possible. I don’t believe in coincidences. But I do believe in God-incidences. I believe that all acts of love, of kindness, of altruism – are inspired and guided by our creator God. I even believe that is true when those acts are carried out by atheists, humanists or any other kind of “ist”.
My particular 'ism' is Christianity. I am motivated by a desire to please God over a desire to please men. I am free from a fear of all other consequences of my actions, apart from that of displeasing God. To please God, I do my best according to His guidance and grace, and He does the rest. We live in a world deeply troubled by the selfishness of man. I believe that God wants to restore the world’s harmony by turning it right side up again, by us loving each other selflessly, as He loves us. I believe that is possible by accepting God’s forgiveness bought for us by Jesus on the cross. I respect your right to have another view or no view of the nature of God. I believe that, whether you believe in God or not, He loves you unconditionally.
So I see IofC as part of this restoration. And it all starts with a personal restoration. It all starts with you and with me. We look at ourselves, take the first steps towards putting right the things in our own sphere of influence and giving God the freedom to do the rest.
I shall continue to go to meetings. I shall continue to follow where my God leads me. I will test out His direction by asking myself, 'What would Jesus do?' and, with all my faults and weaknesses, I will depend on the power of God’s Spirit work through me to transform the world, beginning with me.
David Vickers has had a long career as a nurse and teacher. Since 1998 he has worked in a number of post-conflict and post-disaster situations in Kuwait, Lebanon, Bosnia and Pakistan. Now technically retired, he continues to act as a consultant to emergency relief and development health programmes in Pakistan.
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