During a hedonistic phase in my life, God wasn’t totally invisible. I was somehow conscious of God’s existence. God was in my religion class, on televangelist programs, in the Gideon’s Bible I got for free, on the radio programs I tuned into once in a while on the way to work. But He was just there—in the background. Right after I graduated, I got into the insurance industry. I was a hard worker. I was professional, religious and I had integrity.

On the surface, I was OK. But there were symptoms of wrongness in my life. I was quick-tempered, self-righteous and self-centered. I became a proud person. At one point, although I did not know it, my wife was ready to leave me.

It was all kind of hypocritical. I have been into pornography since grade school. I felt dirty at times and yet felt powerless to let go. My secret and not-too-secret sins were eating away at the seemingly picture-perfect family life and career I had built around myself.

In May of 1986, my boss introduced me to an American missionary. This missionary wanted to start a Bible study in the building and I was among his handful of students. He presented God.

Right there and then I realized the truth of God’s Word. I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. God wanted my life and I committed myself to Him. My good life was just a sandcastle waiting to be washed away by the tide. The missionary also bought me a Bible. After I had attended a few meetings, and begun to learn from the Bible, the people in the office noticed the changes in me.

First, I stopped cursing. Then I was suddenly free of my addiction to pornography.

As God continued to work in my character, I began to establish new standards of behavior for myself.

I had also made a few resolutions about my conduct with women. I decided that I will not share a meal alone or drive my car with a woman beside me except my wife. I will not meet alone with a woman behind a closed door. I realized that all these areas could eventually become areas of compromise over a period of time, and I decided I will not give the devil a foothold. I aimed to guard my reputation in order to protect God’s name.

Eventually, by God’s design, my family and I found our spiritual home at Christ’s Commission Fellowship.

I now live to glorify the King of Kings by doing the work that He has given me to do, touching on the six most important aspects of my life: my relationship with God, with my wife, my children, my work, ministry and the Great Commission.

Early on, I thought I had a good life. But by the grace of God, I traded my good life for the best—a life of walking in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Bio

Enrique Sarthou was the Vice President and Senior Agency Director of a top insurance company in the Philippines. He now serves full time at Christ’s Commission Fellowship.

Source:
“This is My Story” by various writers
Credits to Cityland Foundation Inc. and OMF Literature Inc.