Endurance over escape

The most proper way to live is still God’s way. Yet, His way can also be the harshest and toughest way of all, especially when existence circumstances seem to choke you unsympathetically and leave you breathless through it all.

May God’s promise of eternal kingdom & glory be not the reason I seek to escape this life; but rather, let it be the reason I learn to endure this life.

Happy birthday, You Shen

Happy 19th b'thday to a very much-loved lil' bro...

No doubt he can be quite a headache at times, but somehow, I always feel comfortable and safe with his company. I guess I really love him a lot, truly and deeply.

Thank you, Lord, for bringing Him into my life. May this birthday of his be just the beginning of another year for You to fill with abundant blessings, wonderful moments, and shining glory.

Amen.

Being nice & loving

People may be unreasonable, or illogical and self-centered, but we are to love them anyway because love never settles only for what’s reasonable and logical. It insists on being merciful and gracious. It encourages us to make the first step in showing loving kindness to others; after all, it is not so concerned with the eye-for-an-eye and tooth-for-a-tooth kind of fair loving. Sounds like what nice people would usually do, doesn’t it?

However, there is a difference between being nice and being loving. Modern communication tells us that it is all about being ‘nice’. Though it values truth, it only goes as far as it allows us to feel good about ourselves. We are highly encouraged to never use words that would cause other people to feel offended. Thus, truth becomes our enemy at any point it threatens to hurt someone's feelings.

Any one who is honest enough will find that too many a times, we tend to sacrifice truths to keep a ‘nice’ and ‘friendly’ image towards others. I know I have. Whether knowingly or unknowingly, I have purchased friendships and loyalty before by blinking at lies and deceit. I have done nice things simply for the sake of winning the approval from those I excuse. Nonetheless, in actual fact, being ‘nice’ at the expense of being truthful is just a selfish act of love.

I believe that any one who is willing to risk all costs for the sake of truth and to suffer for the sake of others is a genuine friend. Hence, I pray that God will continually teach me how to be nice to people, but not at the expense of being truthful. At the same time, I pray that I will be humble enough to let others convey truth to me so that I can change for the better.

When silence isn't golden

Are we truly being transparent that others see us as we are, with no pretense? Do we allow people to speak into our lives and give us godly advice for right living? Maybe we’re too proud to learn from others, or maybe we’re afraid of getting hurt if others see the vulnerable side of us; that’s why many a times, we aren’t showing people who we really are- our genuine being.

Perhaps it’s time we start getting real with ourselves. We need to be honest with ourselves and with God in acknowledging our weaknesses and vulnerability. We need to be honest with others too, and be willing to let others into our lives, so that we need not struggle with life challenges on our own, especially when we’re in the midst of trying to break off from a sinful habit. Such secrets will only keep us stranglehold of the sinful habits in our lives.

Perhaps we should stop playing church and truly be the church. We have too often times engage in only small-talks and telling each other how nice we look Sunday after Sunday, and maybe we really need to start making the effort to get down with more serious stuff like being accountable, vulnerable, transparent, and ever-willing to speak the truth with love & courage anytime God prompts us to.

Silence may be the key solution in many instances of our lives, but it isn’t always the case is it, since honest talks cannot be stirred out of silence. It won’t be easy getting honest-being real, genuine & sincere, whether with God or with men. However, we can be sure that after the process of honesty, purging and cleansing, comes the purifying, filling, renewal & revival of the heart. This is His promise.