Since I
recently came back from Bangkok where I was doing a legal internship, I know that
some of my friends are expecting a blog about my experiences in Bangkok.
However, I have decided to do something different this time. I thought it would
be better to write a blog about what got me through these experiences, and what
encourages me right now. I keep a diary where I write about my thoughts,
difficulties, revelations, progress, questions and answered prayers. I will
simply share with you some parts of my diary; the passages that make me think deeper and that are currently encouraging me.
One of
the passages that I’d like to share with you is from a Joyce Meyer sermon: “Finish
what you've started. Finish your walk with God. Grow up! Go after spiritual
maturity, not just stuff. Whatever you do, don’t let money rule your decisions.
No amount of money is worth your peace. No amount of money is worth the stress
that you end up with if you got a schedule that never leaves you any time for
anything, except to run. God has a better life for us than just run and go and
run.”
A prayer
that helps me, comes straight from the Bible! “My prayer is for God my Father to
fill me with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding. That I may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being
fruitful (me: and not just busy all the time!) in every good work and increasing
in the knowledge of God (Colossians 1:9-10). Instruct me and teach me in the
way I should go (Psalm 32:8). Fashion my
heart to make it look like Jesus’s (Psalm 33:15). Deliver me from all my fears
(Psalm 34:4). Create in me a clean heart, Oh God, and renew a steadfast spirit
within me (Psalm 1:10).”
A sermon by Francis Chan has made me think about how I live my life. Do I live as
Jesus would want me to live, the way that people who followed Him lived (the
stories that are written in the Bible), or does my lifestyle mostly depend on
culture and traditions? “When you are alone, reading the Bible, praying to God,
do you feel peace? Or do you think that you could do more for God? Are you
convicted of certain things?”
Since I
find it difficult to focus when I am reading the Bible, but at the same time I
want God to communicate with me through His Word, I decided to…start
highlighting! Before I start reading a book from the Bible, I ask God to speak
to me, to give me more revelations. Then I start reading a book with the
intention that God will speak to me through it. Once I read a passage that
applies to me and my situation, I highlight it. After completing the book, I go
back and see all the passages that God used to speak into my life. I used
this method while reading the book of Isaiah, and this is what God has told me (I quote from the book of Isaiah).
- In returning and rest, you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.
- Therefore, the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him…He will be very gracious to you and the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you. And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, but your eyes shall see your teachers. Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying “This is the way, walk in it”.
- You are My servant. I have chosen you and have not cast you away: fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
- For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, “fear not, I will help you.”
- I am the Lord, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another.
- Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing. Now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
- Thus says the Lord who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you: “fear not My servant.”
- I have formed you, you are My servant…you will not be forgotten by Me!
- I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.
- For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.
I have
decided to stop panicking about what I am going to do next in life, where I will be living, what job will I have (and when!), who will I marry (and when!), how many kids will I have, how many kids will I adopt...making plans A, B and C, just to make sure for my own peace of mind that my life will be awesome in any case scenario. I have decided to stop chasing everything at the same time and being
afraid of missing out on something good. Instead, I will be still, trust
God’s Word(promises), seek Him and spiritual maturity first, and He Will give me the
desires of my heart. And remember,“those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing (Psalm 34:10).” Amen!
