An epiphany in which one realizes the
truth of a matter; a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something; coming
clean and admitting failures; realizing the true weight or impact of a negative situation or fact; acknowledgment that one must get back to core values; moment of realization; an aha moment; moment of decision; moment of
truth; critical moment; moment of reassessment of priorities; turning point; life-changing moment.
(alt.: "come-to-jesus moment")
“‘We had a real scare, a real come-to-Jesus moment. It was a time to figure out what we were about, where our priorities were. And there was no question. What we didn't realize is how we’d let our
work overwhelm our family . . .”— Peer Marriage: How Love Between Equals Really Works by P. Schwartz, page 143 (1994)
”When I hear someone refer to a come-to-Jesus encounter/talk/experience, they're usually referring to a moment of
truth that is difficult and harrowing for all who experience it.”—Telegraph-Herald (Dubuque,
Iowa), 18 February, 2006
“My feeling is at a certain point we're going to have a 'come-to-Jesus' moment in the caucus and talk about whether you fund (the war) or not,"
said Rep.
Jim McDermott, D-Wash.”—AP Online, 17 April, 2007
“Koonce got into teaching after he was in a severe car accident about five years ago. The wreck caused him to reassess his priorities. ‘It was kind of a come-to-Jesus moment,’ he says. ‘I started thinking about what was really important to me and a
way for me to give back.’”— The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report (Louisiana), 18 November, 2008
“As important as the
Massachusetts special election was to the health-care debate, it also represents a come-to-Jesus moment for the GOP. What kind of party will it be?”—Washington Post, 20
January,
2010