Being there

I have to admit that at times, I struggle to give people my full attention when I truly ought to, especially when I’m with the people I love. I make sure I lay aside a certain amount of time to spend with them, yet occasionally, in the midst of spending time with them, I find my mind drifting off to the future, planning about what needs to be done next and how I am going to do it.

I want to be able to focus on the present, to make each moment count not only for myself, but for others and most importantly, for God. But then, I have this tendency of falling into the trap of getting too caught up with doing things that I start losing the sensitivity I should have towards other’s needs. I know clearly, that while some of the activities on my to-do list may be good and fine, I should never let them interfere with God’s plans.

Maybe you’re like me; we sometimes struggle being really there for the ones we love. We struggle to empathize with them, or even share in their joy because we let the noise of empty worries clutter our ears & heart. The only solution to our problem is to trade all our activities for His priorities, every single day; more than ever, first thing in the morning. As Mathew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you”.

Being a godly Christian is not about being a Superman or a Superwoman by the world’s standards. Rather, it is about being a humble and teachable person, who is sensitive to the supernatural leading of the Holy Spirit. No doubt that we will still have many tasks that we need to accomplish, but maybe we can learn to prioritize our to-do list, complete what we can and let God deal with the rest. If they have to wait, then so be it.

Every activity needs to be evaluated and re-evaluated in light of the Kingdom’s agenda, for the influence that we should leave on others should be one of love and attention, not on completed task list- this is the true essence of being there for the ones you love.

Everything to God in prayer

Dear Lord, help me learn to make prayer my life. Make my life a prayerful one too, for I do not want to be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, I want to present all of my heart’s desires to You. I need Your peace that surpasses all understanding to guard my heart & mind in Christ Jesus.

Living a life of total surrender to You is not easy at all. The desire to take control of my own life, to set my own agendas, and sometimes, even the agendas of others, is so strong deep inside me. But, the weight of these worries and thoughts are too heavy for me to carry; they only lead me to distress and anxieties.

So, please do come and take Your rightful place in my life, dear Lord, the center of my life. Only You can help me overcome disappointments with new beginnings and an everlasting friendship. Only You can make my burdens sweet and strengthening. Help me to always have the desire to seek You and to make Your throne, not the phone, my first approach whenever I feel troubled.

In Jesus name, I pray,
Amen.

“O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer”

Read & Pray

It kinda dawned upon me this morning how equally important both the act of praying and reading God’s Word are in keeping our spiritual body in shape. We can’t just give our full attention to one and neglect the other; we need a balance between the both.

If we merely spend time reading the Bible daily but don’t spend time in prayer, what good is it? The mind can be developed with the knowledge of God, but without prayer, the heart will still stay cold and hard. On the other hand, what good is it if we only spend time in prayer but don’t spend time reading the Bible? Without reading the Bible, we have no knowledge of God and hence, no understanding of His will in our lives. Thus, praying without knowing the Bible will only lead us to pray inconsistently to His will.

A marathon runner needs both regular training and a nutritious diet to keep up with his physical fitness. Likewise, we need to pray regularly and feed on God’s Word to keep our spiritual body in shape. Prayer is our form of exercise for the strengthening of our soul, while the Word of God is what gives us the essential nutrients for our spiritual growth. Both are necessary to help us stand strong and courageous in our spiritual battles against the evil one.

As Christians, the marathon we’re in is a pretty challenging one for there are many hurdles which we will have to cross along the way. For some of us, the marathon could perhaps be a little longer than others’. But no matter how tough or how long it’s going to be, let’s not give up along the way. Christ has already won the victory for us. It is just a matter of time before we truly get to taste that victorious win one day.

The utmost pursuit

Yes, no doubt you are very capable. You manage your time well. You lead bible studies, you teach in Sunday School and you coordinate prayer meetings. Even in planning and organizing events, you are efficient. You bear much more responsibilities compared to others because of your high level of competence.

But, honestly, have you taken time to stop and consider whether you are pursuing your own agendas in some way as you do His work? Are you sure it is God that you are pursuing and not ministry? Do you still feel good about yourselves even when things on your to-do list have not been accomplished?

Sometimes, in the midst of our pursuit for success in ministry, we tend to forget that the one thing God cares about most is our pursuit of Jesus. Those dreams and plans we have may just be out of pure and simple desires to want to do great things for Him, but there are times when we let activities and busyness cloud our minds that we start losing our focus on Jesus.

God never is in a hurry to fulfill His dreams. As much as He would like to see us put our abilities and talents to good use, He doesn’t want impatience to get the better hold of us either. We need to realize that His ultimate dream for you & I, is to become more like Jesus each day. It is when we learn to embrace this dream and make Christ all that we long for, seek after, love and adore, that all the desires of our hearts will come to pass.

I’m glad that God never ever tries to think that He’s like us, nor does He let our agenda and expectations thwart His plans of what He wants us to be like. I can’t imagine what my life would be like if God changes the plans He already has for me. He knows me so much better than I know myself- my needs, my wants, my wishes, my everything! He knows me perfectly inside out & upside down; and He’s got just the right plan to let me enjoy the fullness of life. All I need to do is to surrender my all to Him and then, patiently look forward to see how He will grow me as a result.