To trust someone is to lovingly depend on him, paraphrasing what Father Luis Sierra mentioned to us last Wednesday. Trust is a big and heavy word, loving dependence on the other hand is a lovely, comforting word that gives me that warm fuzzy feel.
Dependence, trust, confidence, patience, FAITH – words closely-related to each other, interchangeable, huge words, words we know yet we struggle to understand and live out, words we often halfheartedly commit to.
One person, one name, revealed more than a word to me – Abraham.
Most of us know Abraham as the father of Faith. Yet not most of us understand why he is the father of faith. We think that his (more…)
In this moment
As I sit in silence
I feel the vast emptiness
The void I cannot fill
And at this moment
I search for answers
I try to come to terms
With reasons I feel
My tears, they fall
I’m ready to drown
Yet my tears aren’t enough
Even when a river I’ve cried
For Your mercy
Is the ocean they flow to
And Your love
Is the limitless horizon in view
It’s in this moment
That I’m caught in Your grace
Your love fills the emptiness
Your resurrection, my seal
I am so into this theme and really inspired… questionnaires and activity all written/made with ♥. I’m excited to listen in to what my group mates have to say later… but not excited to speak myself! ((: Hope I don’t get too nervous and have an aching tummy again! ((: I am also looking forward to share here all that I have learned, seen and discovered in this theme! Soon!
We all have them. And we all have different reasons why we cannot trust some people, some products, and some situations. What really surprised me is that as much as we praise, glorify, adore, exalt God, He is one being we have trust issues with. Some might acknowledge, some might feel appalled by the idea, some might deny – but just think about and reflect on it. When God tells us, ‘sell all your possessions’, we respond by saying ‘we do not have many possessions’ or ‘I do not own anything, they’re all rented and borrowed’ when in fact we have enough to sell on OLX and earn from it! When God tells us, ‘go and announce’, we respond by making reasons why we just cannot. When God tells us to ‘go forth and multiply’, we take out our calculators and bank accounts and blame poverty to population growth and you know, we’re just being prudent and practical.
Often these trust issues are masked by our want to be in control, our desire for comfort, the rational and practical reasons that we lay out there. Oh and how we make so much sense with our arguments! But unveiling that façade, deep in the heart of our reasons and arguments, it all boils down to that – we do not trust God enough that He will deliver for us, He will deliver us. I know I have not given God my absolute trust and surrender; that a part of me still holds back, too attached to this world. And I continually pray to God that He will work in me and work in my heart, because only He can change my stubborn heart, only He can accomplish and maintain that changed heart of mine.
So, “HOW CAN YOU NOT TRUST GOD?” Appalling? Dismaying? How do you feel when you know someone does not trust you? Why are we so afraid to trust an Almighty Being? Why do we feel we can and He cannot accomplish some things for us? Why cannot we absolutely give Him our trust? I leave you these questions to ponder on and may He show you your answers and your reality. I pray you will open your hearts to acknowledge them and decide in your heart that you will start to trust Him moment by moment.
We have a battle, every day. It’s on, all the time – a battle against the flesh, against the evil of this world, against Satan.
Our weapon is mighty – if only we use it, if only we depend on it, if only we hang on to it. Our defense makes us more than conquerors, our Guide has went before us, the battle has been won yet in our weaknesses we fall back.
Let us hold on to Him, to His Word, to Jesus Christ, whose love has made us more than conquerors of the this world.
“The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged.” ~ Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)
“In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” ~ Romans 8:37 (NIV)
“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” ~ 1 Corinthians 15:56-57 (NIV)
To be hope.
As light at the end of a dark tunnel signifies an end of the dark claustrophobic journey.
To be life.
As light to a soil brings life to a seed buried in the ground.
To be joy.
As light brings smiles after a gloomy day.
To be truth.
As light exposes what the dark conceals.
To shine.
As light cannot be hidden, it is by nature made to shine as far as its might can take it.
11.26.13 21:39
“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,
Few days back, I started writing down tidbits of praise and prayer. The back story for how it started and why:
I sat contemplating about envy, anger, things happening around me, things going on inside my head, temptations I fight and failed to fight. Then, I am inspired by St. Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth…
2 Corinthians 12:9
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
By His Cross, I see my sins and shame crucified.
By His Resurrection, I see my salvation and victory.
In my weakness, I see His strength.
In my sins, I see His mercy.
In my fallen state, I see His unconditional love.
I am made perfect in my weakness, through His strength.
I am fearfully and wonderfully made, flaws and all.
I am perfectly flawed for His glory.
I am His child, so dearly loved.
I am a child in awe of my Father, my God, my King.
And I will sing and proclaim His goodness, His mercy, His grace, His love, and this Hope through His gift to me – writing.
I used to feel bad seeing my friends and majority of people around me caught up and busy with work, leisure, dining out, traveling, I felt I’m missing so much of life.
I check Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and see all these places, food, travels and party posts it made me feel jealous and I ask myself, ‘what am I doing with my life?’
Now, I understand and see the wonderful gift of time that God has provided me. For giving me this much time to enjoy His Word, to do things for Him, to be there for people who need me. I will not be deceived. I am living my life to its fullest whenever I spend it with and for the Lord. (:
Cos really, it’s not Brazil that is the goal – it’s the maturing of my faith. It’s not getting on that plane and arriving there – it’s the journey from the moment of yes to the moment of least resistance, total surrender and acceptance of His will… so I won’t let this monster of “I want to go to Rio” eat me up again and derail me from seeing the real, bigger picture. Yes, God said I should be clear with my destination – destination = goal and it is every Christian’s goal to run the race and win the prize that is – heaven. (:
Pixies & Stardust 