value

Suddenly feeling down.

I look around, at my friends, and realise that I am in the company of talented and capable people.

They're either earning their own money, winning contests, while I'm here, doing nothing, just simply wasting my dad's money away.

Would things have been different if I'm not around?

Don't come telling me that I make a difference, cos anyone could do so.
Don't come telling me that I've been a blessing to your life, cos anyone could've been such.
I suspect that anyone would be able to fill in my place. And very easily so.

Very pessimistic yea?
Yeah. I've been on the negative lately, being bitter about my internship placement and all.
Lingering a little bit more and I suspect that the devil would've everything he needed to crush me.

But I remembered going through a similar thing when I was officially serving a CF Care Group.

I remembered the time when I felt unworthy to serve such group with so many talented and gifted people.

I still remember how His voice came to me, rebuking me for having self-pity.

And I still remember how He said that by having self-pity, it was a direct insult to Him.
He died for me, He rose for me, and He goes to the Father so that the Holy Spirit can be with me.

I do not have the right to label a person He loves dearly as unworthy.
I do not have the right to despise myself after all He has done for this person.
I do not have the right to look down on anyone even.

I'm sorry for the insult I've thrown at You, dear Lord.
I'm sorry that I've forgotten that my worth is not in me, but in You.
For You are the One who redeemed me, when no one else cared.
When no one else could.
You're the one who had brought me high,
And have been with me when I'm low. Always. Without fail. Even though at times I don't feel that You're there. But I know You are, because You promised. And You're a God who don't break promises, even when You had every reason to.

And this is my faith.
This is my faith in You.

And from here, again, I shall value myself not by comparing myself to the people around me, nor by how they value me.
I shall weight myself with You. With the cross You suffered on.

And honestly, that is one heavy cross.

dragging God

Went for my campus' Christian Fellowship camp few days ago.

The name of the group I was in was "Bravo," to which we presented as "Ba La Wo." In Chinese, it translates to "Dad Pull Me."
A better translation would be "Dad Pulling Me Along."

It signifies our Father holding our hand securely, walking together with us through the journey of life, never letting go.

But I cannot help but laugh at the thought that often, it is us who's pulling our Father in this life's journey.

Worse yet, we're actually dragging Him, violently.
He's too slow at times. :P

Church

"It is because we're close enough that we step on each others' toes."

To which a dear friend asked, "If we already know it's hurtful to get close to people, why would we want to still do it?"
Can't really remember the exact thing, but I think that was the question.

Honestly, I don't know.

Why on earth do we want to open up ourselves to such vulnerability, to open up ourselves to be hurt, over and over again?

If not that, the question would be, "Is it worth it?"

Is it worth opening up ourselves to such vulnerability, to open up ourselves to be hurt, over and over again?

What would we gain in the end?
That is my selfish question, but is it not valid?

I think the only one who can answer such questions is ourselves.
Have none of us experienced sweet moments with friends, especially the close ones?
Even if we had, does the sweet experiences outweigh the bitter ones?
Is it worth going through the hurts simply for some memorable ones?

Sometimes, I suspect that the best of friends are those we consider enemies, but reconciled after being able to look past the bitterness, dishonesty, hurts and differences. It is with them that we are able to be perfectly honest, not needing any masks, for they'll be able to see through anyway.

And I especially have another dear friend, of which nothing binds our friendship, but Christianity alone. Many times we do not see eye-to-eye, and we disagree on various things. Of course we do agree on many other things as well, but even in our differences, we still do respect each other's thoughts and opinions.

It is never easy to disagree with people we're close with, but it is a great privilege to be allowed to.
And it is also a great honour to have a close friend who, though having fear of being disliked, still find courage to voice out their disagreement.

And something I told my friend that kinda struck myself.
I said, "by kept working together with a disagreeable person, we're giving each other chance to change."

I wonder how true that statement is.
Have I changed through doing exactly that?
But honestly, the question would be, "why should I do it?"
And it is exactly when I ask such questions that God reminds me of my prayer, "God, make me a better servant of Yours."
Speechless.

But I've also learnt not to expect changes in people. I've been disappointed from having this kind of thoughts alone. It's so much easier to accept them.
And of course, the process of accepting is not easy, but there is less frustration than expecting changes.
I've learnt to just do what God wants me to do, and to expect great things from Him instead.

I have to admit that I have cried many tears for the hurts that I have received from those I drew near to.
But I also have to admit that it is also them who had given me, and are continuing to give me joy through their friendship, through their smiles, through their love, and sometimes, through our disagreements.

And it is also in their midst that I find more of God, for it is for them that He gave His life up, and it is to them that He will go to, and remains.

Though I sometimes regret saying this, it is ultimately where my God is, that I want to be.

Lord, Lord,
This life journey's is so long,
And there are many occasions where I do not know the perfect things to say,
Nor do I know the perfect things to do,

Sometimes, I'm tired.
I'm tired of trying to love, I'm tired of trying to be patient.
I'm tired of caring, I'm tired of my cravings for approval.

But You already know I am so.
You know of my unfaithfulness,
You know of my short-lived passion.

But I know of Your faithfulness,
I know of Your never-ending love.

Break my heart with Your love,
Break my heart with the love You have for the people around me.
Enable me to see them as You see them,
And enable me to see me as You see me.

Help me to see their differences as complementary to mine, rather than opposing.
Help me to see their differences as encouragement for betterment, rather than discouragement.
Help me to see what You want me to see, for I am only a sinful man, made righteous by Your blood.

I yearn to see the many wonderful things You will produce through our unity.
I yearn to see Your people reconciled to each other.
I yearn to see the day when we can all be honest with each other and truly love one another, instead of just talking about it.

Would You allow me to see all these things?

brain "power"

Just when I've stopped doubting about my spirituality, that is to stop relying on my feelings to determine my relationship with God but instead to rely on what He says it is, my brain goes on to doubt whether I'm truly a Christian.

It goes on to the question of "if you're truly a Christian, why do you find the idea of worshiping the human Jesus so hard to swallow, or why is it that you wanted to do God's work, but resist every thought of really doing it?"

"Are you sure you've actually decided to follow Christ?"

Heh. I can't say I like this kind of moment, but I'm glad that in Christianity, I am allowed to be honest. I am allowed to doubt. I am allowed to allow God to work in me.

Of course the honest and doubting part mostly do not apply to other humans. I hope it would not be stumbling block. But one cannot deny that if God knows what you're thinking, there's little use to being dishonest and pretend you're not doubting, when you are.

I guess it's so much better to tell him about it outrightly, and see what He has to say or would do.

Back to the issue, is there a step-by-step guide, or a criteria that makes a person Christian? Or perhaps such thing exists only for us to judge whether another person's a Christian.

So Lord, what say You?

just so you know

Often, I do not love you THAT much to tell you of your weaknesses.
I am not prepared to put myself in a position where you will think I'm trying to mold you into me, or trying to push my values on you.

About people who actually do, I think it is worth noting that they are either legalistic (a.k.a. insecure about themselves) or they really do love you.

So, think before you follow your feelings and decided to shun them or criticize them or write about them on your blog.
Especially if they're your pastors! It's already bad enough that they have to confine themselves to 'churching' ministry, they have to serve you! Not enough with that, they have to find themselves being mentioned in your blog, badmouthed, adjoined by hundreds of your faithful readers!

Remember, we do not actually have much control over that entity called feelings, but we can still control how we are to act upon it. We can still, to a certain extent, control our thoughts.

*This post is not specifically to any particular person, but the general masses. I do not only read your blog, but many more online blogs and articles.*

my Saviour my God

If You are truly beyond time, You should already know how things will turn out even before they did.

If so, I really do not understand the way you think.

If so, You should have already that I am a person who would occasionally bring shame to Your name.
I'm the person that would fall once in a while, making wrong decisions willfully, consciously. Even when I do know what is right and what is wrong.

Am I just another Egypt, someone You would use to bless Your children, the "sinner God used for His purpose?"

You already know that there are times when it'll be like now, where if my deeds are uncovered, they would bring shame to Your name.
But You still call me to Your embrace, You still wanted me.

You said that You've cleansed me of my sins, and I am right with you.
There are times that I would prefer if I were to suffer for a bit, so that I would feel "worthy" to return to You, having received my deserved punishment.
But at the same time, I'm scared of it. I do not want it. I do not want to be punished, I shun it.

Can I hit my body, can I bruise my hands, that I can declare that I've suffered for a bit, I've got what I deserved, so now I can feel better coming back to You?
But You said no.
My body is Yours, I do not have any right to inflict injuries upon it.
Only to do Your will.

Do You know that it hurts my pride to receive Your grace and to come to You, pretending that everything is like before, like I've never sinned before?

Do You know how hypocritical I feel whenever I lift my hands to praise You, whenever my lips declare of Your greatness?

Do You know how hypocritical I feel whenever I said that I'm giving up my entire self to do Your will, that I would forsake all to rid myself of this thing that haunts me?
I do not even wanted to be at the sanctuary to be prayed for.
I do not even want to be in a shameful situation.
I do not even want to do Your will.

Do You know how people would look at me if they were to know my hidden deeds?
I do not care about losing reputation, friends, but how would they see You?

They'll say, "what a fake Christian he is, doing what he preached against."
I do not mind such things, but Your name is in front of mine.
Why should You be insulted for my wrongdoings?
Why should You be insulted for my sins?

Yeah, why do You even bother in the first place?
I am but a passing wind.
I am but a momentary sigh.
I am but a dying leaf.

I can blame satan for all the wrong things I've done, but it is still me who decided on my deeds.

As much as I wanted to run away, that I would prevent myself from trampling unto Your body;
that I would prevent myself from nailing You to the cross again and again and again and again;
that I would prevent myself from coming back to You in shame receiving forgiveness,
You called me back.
Again and again and again and again.
Why do You do that???

Yet, where can I run to?
You are the reason that I'm alive, You are the Truth for everything there is.

Sure, I can lie to myself and pretend as if there's something else to live for, but deep down, I know there isn't.

The only thing to live for, is You.

So, no matter how many times, I'll crawl back to You.
I'll sing praises to You, no matter how hypocritical my person feels.
I'll sing psalms to You, no matter how angry my body feels towards You.
I'll sing songs to You, no matter how shameful I feel.

Thank You for Your forgiveness,
Even when this person is not worthy of it,
Thank You for Your love,
Even when this person is never worthy of it.

Thank You for holding unto me, when everyone else would've given up.

Thank You.