(Continued from part 1)

When things around us shake, it is an opportunity to take stock of what we have that don’t move nor change – and then anchor in them deeper ⚓⚓

Speaking as a Christian, our faith is something that makes a difference precisely in difficult times.

So here’re some truths I’ve reflected on that have helped me through different difficulties in the past year.

What’s new..? 🤠

There are things that happen, new things we learnt about, or news we heard that shake us.

Then we doubt and question everything fundamental to our life and beliefs.

One day, as I was thinking I realised that the brokenness of the world and fallenness of humanity have always been there. My new learning of it, or experiencing it doesn’t make it a new thing to be considered in the light of who God is.

He’s always and still is God when all these happen – before I know it and after I know it, before I experience it and after I experience it. 

 What has been is what will be,

    and what has been done is what will be done,

    and there is nothing new under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 1:9

Do I launch an attack on God’s character whenever I learn something that shocks me?  If I think I’m the centre of the world, I would. But I’m not, so I learn to know my place and to know He is constant (and good – aren’t you thankful for that? An unchangeable bad God would be a real bad thing otherwise!)

A Friend who sticks closer than a brother

What’s so good about this God? ❓

How good is He as a friend? For starter, His presence means we are never alone. Unlike a human friend, He is still there even when we don’t feel Him.

When well-intended people aren’t there, when no one understands what’s in your heart, when the future looks depressing, and you’ve got nothing to hold on to, you may still hold on to God.

In saying this, I’m not discounting human friendships by any means. I myself have experienced the joy and delight in people’s heartwarming kindness and sweet friendships. Rather, in honest perspective, this is true:

Human love may be true—but at best its power is limited. It can go only one short mile with us, and then must fall out, fall behind, leaving us to go on alone. It has no wisdom to help beyond the merest borders of experience. We are powerless in the presence of any great human need.

.. Human friendship is wondrously sweet—yet there comes experiences when the truest, strongest human friend—can do nothing. But when all the world has gone out—Christ will come in. He is an unfailing, an eternal Friend.

J.R. Miller, 1905

Going home 🏠

The journey is more purposeful and meaningful if you know for sure you’re heading home.

It’s when I’m lost and drifting that the noise in the head gets too loud.

When your identity is sure, your journey is sure, your destination is sure, then it should give a quiet confidence so that when things get difficult, I may always stop and ask myself,

‘What ultimate bad has is brought? What real good has it taken away?’

Much of worries is due to us projecting into the future from the present what and how sorry life will be. As a Christian, if I want to project, then do so into the reality of glory, not my mere imagination of what’s not there or may never be. Then I will have cause for joy, for there’re more glorious days to come.

So, go on and do the next thing, get busy in things useful for what matters.  The alternative of spending life in bitterness is not only counter-productive, but incompatible with reality.

Fruit of righteousness 🍇

Something that gets clearer over the years in my Christian walk is that God is really more interested in my character than my comfort. At the end of the day, whatever the trial, it is about how I stand in relation to and before Him in the midst of it.

Not only resilience, I also learn to choose to praise instead of pout through the storm, to be intentional in using it as a growth opportunity, and to choose God in difficulty and weakness.

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.​

Hebrews 12:11

Forgiven ✝

The more I live, the more I see the ugliness of what’s out there, and what’s in my own heart. And that’s right, be more awaken to my own weaknesses and shortcomings as time and experiences reveal more of reality. The comforting truth is that reality doesn’t end in despair, but there’s a right way about it than pop psychology that promotes shutting your eyes and ears to reality and wishfully conjuring up happy empty fleeting fantasies that end up hollow 👤

Many people have persistent baggage from their past. Some are by no fault of their own, but many others are natural consequences of their own wrongs. I am no different.

Got burnt? Because I played with fire.

Fell into the pit? Because I danced around it.

Feeling guilty? Because I am.

Guilt is a funny thing these days. It has almost become one of those dirty words: never let yourself feel guilty, they tell us; have no regrets. But once upon a time, guilt and regret were respected as accurate responses of a well-honed conscience.

Quotation from a book I read – sorry, really can’t remember which book! 🤔

I think it’s because we don’t examine our hearts closely that we give too much credits too quickly to ourselves. Good deeds are filthy rags even when they’re genuine (e.g., I feel guilty and hence want to do good, or when I chose who to be kind to, am I not selective for my own good?). There are many layers to the human heart, not prettier the more you peel. Besetting sins, pride, craving approval, idolatry. As a dog returns to its vomit, I am like a fool who repeats her folly, and always regret afterwards.

​Solution to real guilt is real forgiveness, not searing your conscience.

The worse news (before the good one) is that whatever I think I am, I’m even worse. 👑 King David said of his murder,

Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,..

Psalm 51:14

As for me, deliver me from bloodguiltiness not of killing another person, but of killing the Son of God Himself – such is the gravity of my wrongdoings that don’t kill men.

The good news is, when I go to God for forgiveness, it is always given. Freely in His tender mercy, and completely (unlike the way I forgive).

That teaches me to be patient and tender-hearted toward others too, understanding our shared human weakness.

☮ In surrender and trust is peace

Embrace your lot in life with joy, not because you have no choice, but because we may rest in God’s sovereignty. Even you can’t muck up your life – you’re not on plan B if you’re His.

​I may like this/that, I may think it should be / would be the best if such and such, etc. But I do not know what’s completely good – only God does, so I may free myself off the burden that things must go my way.

We find ourselves asking, ‘Why?’ 

God’s answer is always, ‘Trust me.’ And hence keep in the path of obedience, for that’s the only way Christ can be known. Not easy, but it’s that simple – follow God.

In doing so, while I don’t know what the day holds, I know He holds me and I am safe in the ultimate sense. ​

I am not punished

A friend lately shared about her horrible experience of being bullied and the trauma that makes her think for awhile that it must be her fault. It’s so strange, but it’s true, when you experience something really bad, there’s an odd default way of thinking it’s because you deserve it.

Even in cases when that is true in the natural sense (e.g., after doing certain things, it is by necessity that I end up a certain way), God doesn’t deal with us as we deserve, but always better.

Because I’m His child, I may be assured that any difficulties in life is more of a discipline, not a punishment just so.

If I just spend some moments to think how much I’ve been given, and all the while He’s growing my understanding of who He is, teach me my dependence upon Him, help me see my helplessness without Him, my need of Him, and His love for me, what He has done and will do for me, and His promise of walking with me through all the remaining days..

He hasn’t dealt harshly with me at all.

​Also good to remember again: Things fall apart by nature, so if they do, be not surprised. 

If they don’t, you thank God everyday.

So.., having thought and learnt all these, how should I start this year (although it’s day 3 already 😛)? Nah.. I’ve thought about it, but will write part 3 hopefully soon!