struggles

I once read a story about a guy asking his friend, of why Christians are struggling so much in their lives, while he, a non-Christian, is not.

Not knowing what to answer, the friend kept quiet.

It came to a time that they went hunting together. Downed two fowls, if I'm not mistaken.

And the friend told the guy to look at the two fowls, and said, "Look at them. One is struggling, and one is not. That one is struggling, because it is still alive. The other is not, because it is dead."


Often we feel like we're struggling so much, even when we're Christian. Isn't this religion supposed to be a cure-it-all magic pill that we take, a religion that's promises victory in every part of life?

And I dare not say that it cannot, because that is also some of the promises given to us. But I think that even so, Christians are those who echoes the words of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, when they said, "...If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."


And sometimes, when I feel so comfortable, that things seems to fall into their own place, and my life seems very victorious, I would start to feel wary. Not to say that these are not from God, but to know that I have a faithful spiritual adversary, that works day and night without fail to plan my fall, things are too good to be true.

Of course, being too obsessed with this would also naturally lead to a downfall, for we are being kept from doing what we're supposed to do simply because of too much doubt; perhaps such extreme wariness can even be translated to the doubt that God is for us.

I shall try to always remember that while I'm born here, I am not of here. My citizenship is of another Country, and I'm here, a foreigner. And a good foreigner I'll try to be, that I should not return my hosts with poison for my stay, even if they are not pleasant hosts.

Through the journey taken in this land far away from home, that I learn more of my Lord, as I walk to where He wants me to, as I do the things He commands.

I know how sometimes we yearn so much for Home, because things are so hard here, but I think being here, no matter how bad or how good it is, is essential. It is no There, but here that our love for God is tested, for us to know how much we actually love Him, how much we really want to be with Him despite our shortcomings. And when I say tested, it's not so much of "God wants to know," but rather "so we know it for ourselves."


Dear Lord, it's been said that You're not just after our heart, but all of us,
But there's a lot of things that is hard for us to give up, even to You,
We have our ambitions,
Our plans for the future,
That girl, the one that could be the perfect wife,
Or that guy, who could be the best of husbands.

The sins we indulge in,
They seem bigger than Your Love.
They really do!
Hmm...

And at times,
Even after accepting the perfect Love given,
Life feels empty,
Seems like there's no reason to even continue breathing.

Is that because we're such a pampered lot,
Or it's just phases that we have to go through?

And You know,
The intelligent arguments that we hear,
And the wonderful texts of so-called enlightened people,
Often so easily dissuade us from You,
They can so easily make us forget all that we've experienced with You,
Is such our love for You,
That rhetorics and sweet words are more real than the spiritual sight and intellectual experiences we had with You?

Where are our brothers and sisters that You've given us,
To nurse us our hurts?
And where were we,
When they needed us?

But,
But if real life is what we'll have,
By giving all that we are to You,
Not just our heart,
But also our ambitions,
Our plans,
Our indulgences,
Our loved ones,
Help us do so.

If losing our life for Your sake is what it takes to have a real one,
Help us do so.

If emptying our bottle is what You demand before You can starts pouring in,
Help us do so.

And we ask that in our struggles, make Yourself truer to us everyday, every moment.

But even if You don't, give us the faith to echoes the words of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that we'd be able to say that, "...If we are thrown into the hardship of life, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from all there is. But even if He does not, know this, that we will not renounce His name, nor forsake the Truth that we have come to know, Who, much more than we love Him, loved us even to death."