Henry Martyn, a brilliant Cambridge scholar, was an ugly genius whose body was covered with warts. Yet his wonderful mind attracted a young woman named Lydia.

One day the conviction came over Henry that he was being called by God to go serve Him in India.

He rushed to Lydia and told her about God’s call, exclaiming, “Let’s get married and go together!”

But Lydia drew back. “There’s one place in the world that I won’t go, and that’s India!”

Distressed, Henry went to his room. Lydia or India? he asked himself.

After some time, he realized that it wasn’t a choice between Lydia and India, but between Lydia and God! When that became clear to him, he gave up Lydia and went to India, leaving a legacy of New Testament translations into Urdu, Persian, and Judeo-Persian by the time of his death at age 31.

Once Henry surrendered to God’s will and remained spiritually united with Christ, he was in a position to become more like Christ, to be “made full” in Him. In choosing God over his human idea of happiness, Henry fulfilled his mission to the earth.

Only those who surrender to Christ and His teachings will receive the fullness He offers. Worldly philosophies, empty deceptions, and the traditions of men will be set aside for something better.