Higher Ways.

Surely you have had that sinking feeling. As you crammed for a test or looked through a new computer program. It comes when you learn just enough to realize how much you don't know.
When you were a child, your world was limited. There were probably times when you felt independent or though that you could make better decisions than your parents. They might have been amused as you stubbornly learned lessons the hard way. 


Romans 11:33-36

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! 

    How unsearchable his judgments,

    and his paths beyond tracing out! 

³⁴ 

“Who has known the mind of the Lord?

    Or who has been his counselor?"

³⁵ 

“Who has ever given to God,

    that God should repay them?”

³⁶ 

For from him and through him and for him are all things. 

    To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Consider how very little we actually understand God's higher ways. It's ironic that realizing how little we know might be our first glimmer of wisdom. 
Imagine how silly you would feel telling a rocket scientist how to operate a phone. Or how ridiculous it would be to offer Albert Einstein advice about arithmetic. These verses remind us that God knows all and doesn't need us to explain to him what is best. He can be trusted. 


The Holy Spirit is a mystery. As long as we live on earth, we will probably never understand these higher ways - how the Spirit helps us when we pray, guides us in decisions, and protects us from hard. The Holy Spirit is sometimes referred to as the "Comforter." Perhaps the greatest 'comfort' of all us realizing we don't have to know everything. 

tears.

We all have those days where we're sad, we're disappointed, its an off day, something has happened, and tears may fall. I feel like i've been on this crazy rollarcoaster recently, filled with times of over thinking and worrying, steep climbs that sometimes lead to nothing, and fearing the truth.

I've thought about it lately, and it just feels like i don't have that sense of belonging yet. I feel like an alien sometimes, as if I'm from another planet or something. Something doesn't feel right. It might be my fault for not having a close core group of friends, or maybe its just that no one finds interest in me? I've talked to others about it, and they've all said to be myself and to have a bit more confidence in myself. And I'm trying so hard. Be myself. If you like it, cool, if you don't, then thats cool too.

I just don't know how to handle it. Maybe I'm just expecting too much? I honestly don't know what the problem is.

Tears. Okay, im not crying, but i know that we're all going through something, whether it be the stress from school and university, or problems with parents, no one is living the perfect life.

God sees these tears. Whether they may be the ones falling down your cheek, or the ones from the heart. He has gone through all this, and he knows exactly how it feels.

Yes, maybe i don't feel like i fit, maybe I'm just the odd piece in the puzzle, and maybe this isn't where I'm supposed to be. But I honestly love those around me. They are great people to be around, and i love their company. Can they say the same? That i'll never know. I said that I'm scared of knowing the truth. What people truly think about me. I try to think of others instead of myself, if they don't like me, theres not need to hide it, just say it. But i don't know.

Is it just me? I don't know. But what i've learnt this weekend is what's pushing me through. Knowing that God understands, he knows, and he cares should be and is enough for me. Life is worth the living just because He lives. JUST BECAUSE.

This stuff is always crossing my mind. I just had to get it out.

Verse of the day says the rejoice always. Good reminder in this time. I'll keep trying. I don't know what God is trying to teach me here, but I'm willing to listen and learn. Praying he'll speak to me.

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:4-7

Truth.

Interesting how the previous post was also on truth, but today, i've decided to take on a different aspect of truth.

Throughout my life, it has only been recently that i've met people (like 2-3) that have truly been a friend to me and have stuck by me, and i've come to realize one important thing that i look for in a friend, or for that friend to be someone i can trust, share and be transparent with. This trait is being non-judgemental, and understanding. That no matter what i may say, no matter who i may be, what struggles i go through, they will not judge, and they will learn to understand and accept who i am, and what baggage i come with. There are certain friends that may joke around, and give you attitude, faces, or reactions when something may be revealed, and whether or not it is intended as a joke or not, it hurts.

I've also learnt that something extremely hard in any relationship is "speaking in truth and speaking in love". When you confront someone about something their doing, it is EXTREMELY difficult to do that without risking the break in a relationship. How exactly do you do that? How can you tell someone their doing some wrong without hurting their feelings or without discouraging them, or making it feel like you've gone against their back? I've learnt that the first step is the relationship itself. You have to build that friendship first, to gain trust, to get to know each other better, and then when you don confront your friend, they will know that you're doing it out of love. With this, i still find it really hard to confront others, without sounding like im against them.

Sometimes people come to me and speak the truth to me, and to be honest, lately, it hurts, a LOT. Although i know its to be constructive, and as a confrontation, but i've learnt that the truth really hurts sometimes. I think we all do take it personally sometimes, but we have to constantly be reminding ourselves that its them speaking out of love for us. The past week i've learnt that truth hurts, but i need to be constantly reminding myself that its for the good, and i truly appreciate the honesty. It means a LOT for someone to be able to say something like that, and it means a lot, but it just hurts.

Im not sure where im going with this post, but i will refer to this one verse, Proverbs 27:17,

Iron sharpens iron,

and one man sharpens another.

Although the truth might hurt, but friends are there to SHARPEN YOU. Sharpening isnt a nice smooth easy process, it hurts, but it makes you sharper, and stronger.

verse of the day: Ephesians 4:15

¹⁵ Rather,speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who isthe head, into Christ,

Truth?

14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.² In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to where I am going.” ⁵ Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him andhave seen him.”

⁸ Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”⁹Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. ¹¹ Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

¹² “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

John 14:1-14

I was able to read through this passage several times throughout the day, and i think thats extremely necessary when we are trying to understand scripture, to fully break it down and understand each word and phrase. I also think that if one has a open heart and mind to receiving the word, it will speak and be understood different each time.

When I read verses 5-6, it immediately brought me back to a discussion we had at retreat, when someone brought up the question, "how do we know Christianity is the true faith?" I confess and admit that i've had my doubts, and im sure we all have. We may question, what if this isnt the "right" way, what if after we pass, there was no heaven, it was all a trick, what if the pastors knew about something and were just tricking us all along? How can i be sure that Christianity is what i should believe in? And as we were discussing, these are a few points that came up. Firstly, i've learnt that out of all the different religions, from Buddhism to Hinduism, that Christianity seems to be the only INVITING others to come see what this "relationship" is about. We also brought up a second point, that was that Christianity is not self-oriented. Many other religions are based on doing deeds/goods to gain blessings or goodness. Whereas in Christianity, Christ has already died for you, and he presents each and every one of us with the gift of eternal life, and it is only if we accept and take the gift, is then that we become saved. And therefore like in verse 12, we do these good works not to gain salvation or approval, but out of thanksgiving, out of commitment, as we follow Christ's footsteps.

side note: I myself am a Christian and believe that through Christ, believing that he died on the cross, and has forgiven me of my sins has saved me from the consequences of sins, and has granted me eternal life. Although i may say that Christianity is the "right" (lack of better word) way, it does not mean that all other religions are wrong, there are definitely things about other religions we can learn from and follow.

Verse 8 also stood out to me. Many many of us are like Philip, we are constantly looking for more. Again back to the retreat discussion, we talked about proof and facts. The world is all about facts, especially the science realm of things, we need proof we need evidence to believe that something is true, but this is faith, not science. There are so many crazy questions that we are curious about, for instance, how the dinosaurs fit into the whole seven days of creation, but over the years of being a Christian i've learnt that sometimes, its just not humanly possible for one to fully understand all this. We can go ask the father when we see him one day! Its hard to believe like that, blindly, but that is faith! Believing without seeing. Its impossible to have all the questions answered. I think this also goes for a test, that with these curiosities, these things that dont fully make sense, its another type of test of our faith. If we can continue to follow him, knowing that he is greater and has plans for us, even though many of our questions are not answered.

People are constantly afraid of change, of the unknown, but are you willing to dig deeper and follow Christ and let him take the reigns of your life?

verse of the day: Ephesians 2:8-10

⁸ Forby grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing;it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast.¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Holy To The Lord

8 And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they toldEzra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. ² So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. ³ And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.⁴ And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. ⁵ And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. ⁶ And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. ⁷ Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. ⁸ They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

⁹ And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lordyour God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. ¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” ¹¹ So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” ¹² And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

Nehemiah 8:1-12

This was the devotional scripture reading for today, and the overall lesson was about rejoicing in understanding the word. Verse 9 really spoke to me. Just recently, someone who I've known from years ago in choir had suddenly passed, and i was taught by her daughter as well. Because it was so sudden, it got me thinking. First, once again, that life is fragile and short, each day should be lived to the fullest, not for yourself, but for God. But more importantly, i thought about the families, how they must feel right now with what they're going through. I cant imagine how their world was the past few days. It must have been full of tears, overwhelming emotions and confusion. Im keeping them in my prayers. But this verse, "this day is holy to the Lord, do not mourn or weep."

Each day is holy to the Lord, his will is done. Think about the greater things, that she's now in a happier, eternal, place without pain, suffering or tears. She's with the father now, happier than ever. It is difficult to lose a close loved one, but it is when you acknowledge that she is in a better place that you can move on. I hope they are taking it okay. May God bless their family and provide comfort and reassurance.