The Threefold Secret to Contentment

Posted on August 13, 2012
By David Webb

Have you ever seen a horse poking its head through a narrow opening in a fence and stretching its neck just to eat from a patch of grass growing on the other side? I find it rather comical when that same horse is already standing in a field of lush green grass yet seems to think the grass beyond the fence is some kind of rare delicacy. That horse is going through an awful lot of effort to obtain its prize when a perfectly wonderful meal is right under its feet the whole time!

You and I are a lot more like that horse than we care to admit. There’s an old saying that goes “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” What this means is that we tend to look at our neighbors and envy them, thinking they are happier than we are because they don’t experience the same kinds of problems we’re dealing with. Of course, this perception is almost always false because every family has its own set of problems. But when we let ourselves get caught up in thinking about our own difficult circumstances—our struggles, our shortcomings, our failures—it’s easy to look at other people and think, If only I had their money (or his looks or her patience), I wouldn’t be in this mess.

If anyone ever had reason to complain to God about his circumstances, it was the apostle Paul. He was a second-generation Pharisee and a respected and highly educated man, yet he found himself languishing in a dungeon in Rome because of his faith in Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, he was perfectly at peace. He wrote to his friends:

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:11–13)

Contentment is a deep, abiding peace and satisfaction that comes from knowing and loving God more every day. Are you content in your life? If not, what do you think will make you happy? A bigger family car? A nicer wardrobe? The latest iPhone? A Hawaiian vacation?

Now, most homeschooling families subsist on a single income. And we all know that having money cannot guarantee happiness. Yet for some reason many of us seem to think that our lives would be better if only we had more money, as if we are the exceptions to the rule. And so we muddle along, saying the right things but secretly believing as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof. When told that money is the world’s curse, he replies, “May the Lord smite me with it—and may I never recover!”

The apostle Paul had once owned many nice things when his name was still Saul. He had been raised the son of a Pharisee and well-to-do tentmaker. Educated in Jerusalem by the finest teachers, Saul also enjoyed the privileges of Roman citizenship. Yet for his all riches and education and status, he could not find peace. And so, against the advice and urging of his mentor (Acts 5:34–39), Saul zealously hunted down and persecuted the followers of Christ (Acts 8:1–3). But then Jesus Christ met Saul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1–19), changed his name, and set him on a new path.

Once he had lost everything, Paul no longer looked for things to make him happy:

I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ. (Philippians 3:8)

Paul had learned that the constant pursuit of possessions and accomplishments could lead only to disillusionment and despair. Joyously, he had instead discovered the threefold secret to lasting contentment.

Trust in Jesus Christ
Paul found contentment in the same place we find salvation: in Christ. Jesus is the only answer to sin, and He is the only answer to our need for peace (John 14:27). Paul’s relationship with God did not depend on what he did or did not have. His peace was based not on his circumstances but on knowing and trusting Jesus:

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20, NLT)

[The Lord] 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9–10)


Keep in mind that contentment doesn’t happen overnight. As you build your relationship with God through prayer, Bible study, and worship, you will learn to trust God more and rely on yourself less. When you trust in Christ, He will give you the strength to be content in any situation you encounter. Remember and pray the words of the psalmist: “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:25–26).

Be Thankful in All Circumstances
The book of Philippians is a letter from Paul thanking the church at Philippi for a “care package” they sent him in prison. In it, Paul instructs us:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6–7)

When you think of what God the Son has done for us—stepping down from His throne to live among us and teach us, then allowing Himself to be killed in the most humiliating way possible to pay the penalty for our sins—how can our heartfelt response be anything but gratitude? We must be thankful to God each day for who He is, for everything He created, and for His infinite goodness toward us (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Love and Comfort to Others
When we go through life discontented—grumbling, whining, doubting God, and thinking only about ourselves—we tend to hold tightly to the very things God wants us to give to others, including our time, our talents, and our treasure. But in the economy of God’s kingdom, we must give away that which we hope to gain:

Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. (Proverbs 11:24–25, NLT)

For example, God gives us comfort so that we can pass it on to others who need it:

[God] comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3–4)

Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Indeed, giving defined the ultimate expression of love: “For God so loved the world that he gave . . .” (John 3:16). When you look beyond your own problems to focus on meeting the needs of those around you, you will go a long way toward taming the sin of envy, the beast “crouching at your door” (Genesis 4:7). A true servant is just happy to serve, and envy has no place in his or her life.

... bless yourself and your family with this thought: The grass is not, in fact, always greener on the other side of the fence; grass is greenest where it is watered. When you cross over fences to serve your neighbors with love and humility and share with them living water (John 7:38), you make the grass greener wherever you go.

David Webb is the coauthor of the What We Believe series, the award-winning biblical worldview curriculum published by Apologia in partnership with Summit Ministries. The third and newest volume in this series is Who Is My Neighbor? (And Why Does He Need Me?): A Biblical Worldview of Servanthood. David and his wife, Peggy, have homeschooled their six children since 1990.

Extracted from http://blog.apologia.com/blog/2012/08/13/the-threefold-secret-to-contentment/

Min Qin's Testimony

… a new posting and sudden change of working environment in June 2011 after my advanced diploma in gerontology nursing, yet it’s a place where the harvest is plentiful and where I see my calling to be… news of my father-in-law bring diagnosed with Stage 3 lung cancer in October 2011, yet after a good battle with the illness, he went home to be with the Lord in early February 2012… a farewell to my beloved Grandpa in Hong Kong as he went home to be with the Lord peacefully in his sleep just a month before my wedding, but not before the Holy Spirit giving me promptings so I was able to talk with him the day before he left …… busy preparations for my wedding in November 2011 and saw how everything just fall into place so wonderfully, with the help of all our family members, cell members, church friends, colleagues and friends… being diagnosed with having a 10.5cm diameter fibroid in my uterus in October 2011 but yet received much peace and joy from the Lord, successfully went through my first operation in April 2012 to have the 11.5cm diameter fibroid removed with much success and without much complications and also receiving a speedy recovery from the Lord now…That’s my  life in the last few months! 

I m truly grateful and am filled with thankfulness for all that God has done in my life!

MY WORK

Praise God that I graduated from the advance diploma in gerontology nursing on 10 June 2011.

With 5 distinctions, 2 As and 2 B+, this has been the best grades and achievement I have gotten in all my life of studies thus far. I still remember how  I was having a terrible running nose and fever on my last day of my exam and could not remember much what I wrote on my exam script. But when the results were released, I remember being filled with great joy as I come to realize that I scored a distinction. I know that this marvelous achievement has not been by my own strength but that God has truly been with me and has led me on.

On 13 June 2011, I was informed to report at another clinic and to serve my 2 years bond. Initially, I felt a bit disappointed as my former workplace was just 4 bus-stop from my home and, apart from that, I knew that going to a new working environment, I will have to readapt to a new culture and rebuild new relationships. But, just as I was making my way to my new workplace, I uttered a prayer and surrendered my work into God’s hands. He then convicted me with Jeremiah 29:11, reminded me that He has plans to prosper me and not to harm me.

Over a period of 10 months, I developed strong relationships with my new colleagues and saw how God has placed me in this place where I could be a blessing to my colleagues and my clients. I also discovered that this place is a fertile field where the harvest is plentiful and I was affirmed, through many circumstances, to be called to station in this place for this season.

With the Holy Spirit’s prompting in April 2012, I used the Evangelism Explosion tool and skills which I have learnt from the course and reaffirmed the salvation of a colleague of mine, whom I have been praying for 9 months. Hallelujah!

I believe that more will come to receive their salvation very soon. My motivation to go to work every day is to save 1 more for Jesus!

MY FATHER-IN-LAW

My father-in-law (Mr. Eddy) was diagnosed with Stage 3 lung cancer in October 2011 and after fighting a good battle with the illness, he went home to be with the Lord in early February 2012.

I thank God for how He has given me an opportunity to interact and know my father-in-law during chats and visits. Though just a brief period, I felt that I have known him for long. We spent time together, having ‘makan’ and he would share with me his life and his past. He treated me like his own daughter and I feel very comfortable and loved by him.

I also thank God that I was also able to apply what I learnt in my nursing studies and understand the treatments offered and provided relevant information and support to my husband and his family in terms of treatments, medications and caregiving matters. And when my father-in-law went home to be with the Lord, 

I also thank God for the strength and wisdom as He guided me through in assisting and supporting James and his family in preparations for my father-in-law’s funeral.

I remember that just when I needed strength to move on during that period, God provided it and helped me to carry on with my work everyday, sent people to pray alongside me, granted me peace and comfort in my heart and granted me wisdom in supporting James especially.

MY GRANDPA

My beloved grandpa in Hong Kong went home to be with the Lord peacefully in his sleep a month before my wedding and I really thank the Holy Spirit for giving me promptings to call my grandpa on Saturday afternoon (a day before he pass on) while I was making my way to the hospital to visit James’ dad. Though he conversed with me with a weak small voice, I could hear him call my name. I teared after talking to him as I missed him so much and I could sense that he might not live long. I quickly contacted my cousin who stayed with him to check on him and I even shared with my mum my plans to fly off to see him the next day.  Unfortunately, with a phone call from my aunt early next morning, I was awoken in cold sweats, and learnt from her my grandpa has just gone home to be with the Lord. I was devastated, the feeling was so painful and I cried myself to sleep.

Later that morning, I told myself that I will still go church to worship God even though my heart was still grieving badly for the loss of my grandpa  (he was closest to me among all the grandparents, and I always confide in him about many things in my life).  As I made my way to church, my tears would begin to flow whenever I think of him. As service began, and the worship leader led us in singing ‘Amazing grace’, my heart ached so badly I cried as I sing. But later as I cried, I asked God to heal my grief and allow me to trust in Him that grandpa is in a better place. I could remember every line of the lyrics of the song as the whole congregation sang graciously. When worship segment ended, I could feel deep comfort and God’s embrace around me.   

I am thankful that my new manager was understanding and granted me leave to fly back to Hong Kong for my grandpa’s funeral. Little did I expect, during the funeral, I was given opportunities to evangelize to my closest cousins, my aunt and uncle. Though they have yet to say the sinners’ prayer, I know that I have planted some seeds in them. I am still praying for their salvation and know that the day is approaching!

Even though I still feel a bit emotional now whenever I think of my grandpa, I am grateful that God has granted me a chance to talk to him the day before he left. I miss him a lot but I am certain that I will see him again in heaven.

MY WEDDING

 

Amidst all the circumstances-my grandpa’s departure and James’s dad health condition-I asked God for strength for both James and I as we made preparations for our wedding in November 2011. By October, we actually had a long list of “to do”s but miraculously, God just helped to ensure that everything fell in place. From the bridal shop, make-up artists, photographer, emcee, church venue, banquet matters to helpers, everything just came into place perfectly so much so it amazed both us and our friends around us! One thing is certain, everything in our wedding preparations went so well and wonderfully because God has blessed both James & me with the help of all our family members, cell members, church friends, colleagues and friends. Praise God!

I thank God for the opportunity and courage to share my testimony at my wedding banquet in Hong Kong. A month before the wedding, God impressed on my heart to share my testimony to my relatives. Without much thinking, I obeyed His call to testify. Due to our hectic schedules, I did not have the time to prepare my testimony, even more so, in Cantonese! But God helped me to prepare my testimony, ‘freshly out of the oven’ the night before the banquet dinner. I could remember frantically rehearsing in the hotel room continuously! I was filled with great excitement that our relative’s salvation day is here! James & I prayed that our banquet dinner would be special; that people will at ease and enjoy the dinner and my testimony would impact them. That night, the banquet went extremely well. In fact, we were amazed that the banquet manager, who looked “straight faced” as I shared my testimony, shared that she back-slided as a Christian and how my testimony encouraged her to return back to church once again. My Hong Kong make-up artist, who stayed for the banquet, also shared that she was inspired by my testimony. Even though none of my relatives came forth to talk to me about my testimony, many shared that they enjoyed the whole dinner and the heart-warming atmosphere of the banquet. That night, I was just so amazed by all that God has done and all that He is continuing to do that I think I was smiling all night in my sleep!

MY HEALTH

In early October 2011, I was diagnosed to have a 10.5cm diameter fibroid[1] in my uterus during my pre-marriage health checkup. I felt rather depressed as much has happened during that period, with James’ dad just being diagnosed with lung cancer and my grandpa just passed away. I desperately prayed and asked God for strength as I felt that I was at the bottom of the pit.

I am thankful that God has brought my family, my husband, my in-laws, my cell members, friends and colleagues into my life because God used them to bless me abundantly. They have provided me with physical support, prayers support, send words of encouragements and support via sms & emails and they also availed themselves to help me in my every need wholeheartedly. I felt really blessed.

I am thankful for God’s word which I feed on daily to strengthen my inner man and took courage to face all the mountains in my life. Even though the devil frequently came to steal my joy and bring fear, such negative feelings only last for awhile. I have learnt to proclaim God’s words in faith over my situation several times everyday. One of my favorite remains to be from Psalm 118:17: “I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done”. I thank God for His peace to rest every night without fail.

I am thankful that God is teaching me to endure through tough times and to learn to truly rely totally on Him in all circumstances. He has convicted my heart to not think and feel about my health condition from just a medical angle but instead to trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding; in all my ways submit to Him and He will make my paths straight (Proverbs 3: 5-6). God also impressed on my heart that He would be directing the whole operation and that I need not worry.

On the Sunday before my operation, I felt a deep pleasurable heat on my right hand as the worship leader led us in the song ‘Jesus loves me this I know’. I felt such a deep sense of Jesus’ hand and presence that He is holding me and telling me to be secure in Him; He assured that I am being taken care of and am in His good hands. After service, I went forth for prayer and Elder Andrew anointed my hands with oil and prayed for me.

Throughout the whole time, I could sense God’s will for me to just trust and obey Him and to go through the operation instead of living in fear. He shared with me in my devotions that my step of obedience is a part of His greater plans. On 24^th April 2012, I successfully went through an operation to remove a 11.5cm diameter fibroid without much complications. Hallelujah!

Despite the difficult times, I have learn to give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for me in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5: 18). I am thankful to God that my operation was successful; no blood transfusion was required, no wound infection, no deep vein thrombosis and my uterus was preserved. I did not experience much side effects from the morphine, was able to walk and sit up on the second day and slept well during my hospitalization. In addition, I was taken care of by a good team of healthcare workers, regained my appetite quickly and felt really great physically, emotionally & spiritually after the operation.

Now, I am into my 2^nd week post-operation and I can see God’s work through all that has happened. I could see my faith being heightened to a new level. My testimony has encouraged others who are sick and have given hope to people around me. My family relationship has also become closer. My mother-in-law prayed out loud for me for the first time. My husband shared that he was inspired by my courage and faith in God and it edifies him. I could also sense a heightened spiritual atmosphere in cell. I now also have a better understanding of how it feels to have to go through an operation and become convicted to avail myself to provide support to people who need to go through operations or women with fibroids in the future. I was able to use the photographs of my extracted fibroid and testify to others about the Great God I serve.

I just can’t help but thank God for His strength, providence, joy, peace and everything! He is awesome and I m assured that surely His goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 23:6).

MY APPRECIATION

People I am extremely grateful for their prayers & support:

My daddy, mummy, sister, hubby (James Lim), mother-in-law, sister-in-law (Joyce Lin).

My spiritual family (Onelife 3: Lydia also my Prayer Accountability Partner, Michelle, Daniel, Huifen, Cynthia, Xu Chao, Joshua, June, Kent & Elly, Joyce & James Seah, Chui Wai & Ivan).

Area Overseers Chek Shih & Pei Kwee.

Onelife leaders (Sarah & Bill Leung, Wendy, Glen & Veronica, Ee Yang & Charmaine, Lydea, Maurice)

Riverlifers:  Elder Andrew Goh & wife, Celina, Angie & Kexin from Hospitality F & B Team, Alginna, Sarah Jenny, Amanda, Lucy Leng, Angela, Leng Leng.

Colleagues: Regina Lee, Xin Yi, Jerry, Ming Keat, Tok Cheng, Dawn, Zainon.

Friends: Yi Xuan, Syn Syn, Jia Hui, Grace Leong, Teri, James’ colleagues from Salvation Army HR department.

---

[1] A tumor growth in females. While most fibroids are asymptomatic, they can grow and cause heavy and painful menstruation, painful sexual intercourse, and urinary frequency and urgency. Some fibroids may interfere with pregnancy.

Thanks for Hosting GSCC Pastors

Hello everyone,

Thanks to all who have helped us to host our first missionaries in our cell! And Onelife 3 will continue to play host to all that God brings through our doors.

Group Photo with Pastor Raju & Pastor Tanda (+ Daniel who is humbly serving behind the scene taking the photo)

I hope that both Pastor Raju and Tanda has blessed you with their testimonies, and sometimes seeing the circumstances that they serve in and yet how their hearts burn fervently for God, it can be quite a humbling experience for me, who can lament over the slightest things. But there, they have to face with lack of resources, having to go on foot for 15km to share the gospel, face rejections and threats from people; actual dangers to their lives. Their heart to serve comes out of gratitude for God who has changed their lives. And we should continue to honor and keep all missionaries in prayers cause it can be a challenging task. God reminds us in 1 Tim 5:17-18 that we are to honor leaders "especially those whose work is preaching and teaching" (v17b); to these people, God says they are worthy of "double honor".

We all can have the privilege of being in God's presence because of our forefather missionaries who worked against all odds. And I believe that Pastors Raju and Tanda will not only come to be a great channel of blessing but will also raise many a great leaders. We are glad to have been a part of the learning journey of these pastors who are here to be trained and mentored. Like Elder Andrew mentioned, thanks for doing something for eternity.

Let's continue to pray for all our missionaries and as this week approach, there will also be more opportunities for you to find out more about missions at the mission night on 9 Mar (Fri), 8.15pm-10pm at Worship Centre and also on 11 Mar, 2pm @ Rooms 214, 215 as we hear from our own local Riverlife missionaries who are going to the field, how God has called them and the work they are going to do. I commend that to you and hope you will join us. I also comment to you to consider going together as a cell perhaps to India for mission trip for the next round.

Lastly, Pastors Raju and Tanda has invited us to their graduation from Tung Ling Bible School, on 22 Mar (Thu), 7.30pm at Bethesda Cathedral, 30 Chai Chee Street S468979. Anyone keen to go?

James

Looking Back 2010 - OL3 Doing Life Together

2010 has been a year with many life moments together. This year, we have seen 1 wedding, new births, 2 full month celebrations, outings, birthday celebrations, spending festive seasons together, having fun, praying for one another. Here's a pictorial review of the year we have spent together :D

Free picture slideshow generated with Smilebox

Reflection: Closing 2009

Wow, in a few hours' time, 2009 is going to come to a close. For some of us, it might have been an easy year and for some it might have been a rough year.

2009 has its equal shares of ups and downs for me but I am still thankful to be able to sit here. I remember Elder Freddy sharing at service at the end of last year, that despite our circumstances, we can still thank God for placing us where we are, because it is really true that we have it better than others in other parts of the world. Our life circumstances, for example, are relatively better and our life expectancy is anything from 78-80 years old as compared to some which is 39 years old. So, amidst all the downs, I still find that I can still be thankful for much which may have been taken for granted.

Indeed, as I reflected the year, I still thank God for the wisdom He has provided me at work, for blessings in my relationships, for friends, for the lives I have seen changed by Him, for blessing my ministry (which I had so wanted to give up) and for healing that He has given me in my back problem and even in my life.

Something which I like about new years is the hope it brings; for some it signify a new start and hope that perhaps things can be better. And yes, as Christ-followers, we can have it better because we have the hope that we are entering the new year with God. And while trials are a part of parcel of life, we know we don't have to deal with it alone.

Was doing my quiet time this morning and was reading from Psalm 50.

Psalm 50: 14-15
^"Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me."

No matter how easy or rough the year has been, let us round up 2009 in thanksgiving and praise to God for how He has been faithful in our lives. Honor the Lord as He has delivered you. The Lord reminds us that he is "The Mighty One" and that we can continue to look to Him.

John 15: 1,4 (NIV)
"I am the true vine... Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."

John 16:33 (NIV)
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

At chapel today, I was ministered to by an old hymn in The Salvation Army's song book, sang to the tune of the hymn "Thanks to God":

Thank you, Lord, for all your goodness:
Through the years of yesterday;
Thank you, too, for present mercies
And your blessing on my way.
Thank you for each revelation,
And for what you choose to hide;
Thank you, Lord, for grace sustaining
As I in your love abide.

Thank you, Lord, for sunlit pathways,
Thank you, too, for byways rough;
Thank you for the fruitful summers
Also for the winters tough.
Thank you, Lord, for fragrant flowers
Growing right amid the weeds;
Thank you for the peace you give me
Even when my spirit bleeds.

Thank you, Lord, for wayside roses,
Even for the thorns beside;
Thank you for the prayers you granted
And for those that you denied;
Thank you, Lord, for precious comfort
In my hours of grief and pain;
Thank you for your precious promise
Life eternal I shall gain.

Authors: August Ludvig Storm (1862-1914),
Translated Flora Larsson
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 552

Reflections of Melaka Mission Trip

Our Mission Trip Photo Slideshow:

Thinking back, I really thank God for the trip and have come to realize how much I had been blessed through the trip. Even though it may sound cliché, but on hindsight, as I am sitting here typing this reflection, I have come to realize how God is in control all the time and I would say that this is the greatest take away for me.

Philippains 4:13 (NIV)
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Mark 10: 27 (NIV)
Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

God’s Timing & Plans

I recall a year ago when I was doing cell planning for 2009 and I remember putting down, as one of the goals for the cell, that our cell would take up a mission trip together. Frankly, at that time, I wasn’t much hopeful that this would happen but nonetheless, I remember telling myself it is a good goal to work towards anyway and I do long to be able to anchor a mission trip together with my cell.

Fast forward almost a year later and I found myself prompted to ask my cell if they wanted to anchor a mission trip together. Initially, only 3 indicated interest and chances of it happening seemed so slim. I recall sharing with Min Qin, my fiancée, how I look forward to be able to join the trip. But as we are scheduled to go for marriage preparation course in church, we would only end on 27 Sep, which also happens to be the last day of missions. But, I thank God for working things out and soon, we were told that our marriage preparation course would end a week earlier instead. So that would mean that both me and Min Qin would be able to join the other 3 trippers for the mission trip. Soon, Chek Shih, our Area Overseer, also told us that he would like to join us for the trip too, bringing the number of trippers up to 6 persons. And so we have a mission team! Thinking back, it is amazing how God has worked things out, because the early conclusion of the marriage preparation has availed me, Min Qin and also Chek Shih (who is helping as a facilitator for the marriage preparation course). At the same time, the KAIROS course has also ended on the Saturday before the trip, a timely “graduation” as Min Qin and Trina (who helped out as KAIROS table hosts) and Joyce, were “launched” into missions just a few days later. All in all, it is amazing to note the timeliness of everything.

Anxiety Brews…

The pre-trip preparation was somewhat nerve-wrecking because we did not know what to expect. With only 2 out of the 6 trippers having experience with mission, and with less than two weeks left to the trip following the missions briefing, we started off feeling lost and not knowing what to do. And the thought of 6 of us setting foot onto unfamiliar grounds and meeting people we have yet to meet was enough to bring about much anxiety for me.

Spiritual Warfare

I recall the few weeks prior to the trip, the team started to meet with lots of challenges. For me, I was suddenly entering into the peak period of my work and there was a sudden increase in stress at work, so much so I wasn’t sleeping well at night and was even getting worried about going to work. Soon, I also learnt that my dad was not feeling well and was developing high fever and we had to rush him to the Accidents and Emergency and was warded for pneumonia. Along the way to A&E, my mum also got injured when she tried to get into the taxi and she accidentally knocked her face against the corner of the door. But thank God she is OK. Soon, I also came down with a bad case of flu which plagued me for days up till the eve of the trip. On my way back from the doctor’s, I had also suffered a rather deep cut on my finger as I dug for the key to my house. Things came to a point where I was so overwhelmed by stress at work, at having to deal with my father’s hospitalization, my illness and preparing for the mission trip, that I began to wonder how I am going to cope with it all. I remember turning to God and praying for Him to help me.

One night, I remember being rudely awakened by a nightmare which seemed so real. I had dreamt of a little girl but there is this evilness that I can sense in her and she held on tightly to my arm and threatened me to forsake God. I woke up in cold sweat and panting. This was the first time I had experienced something like this and as I laid there gasping, I could feel a physical pain where the girl had held on to me. The nightmare had been so real that fear began to grip me and I had to do something. I remember bringing out my bible and started to read and meditate on Psalm 23. Soon after, I felt the peace of God returning and I was able to fall back into sleep without much problem.

By this time, I was feeling overwhelmed but the more it got difficult for me, the more I was convinced that I needed to engage in spiritual warfare and pray. I remember one of our cell members commenting in an email that the fact that we are facing so much spiritual attacks does goes to show that we are most probably on the right track. Soon, I have also learnt about my sister having to deal with exhaustion both at work and with preparing for the children’s programme for the mission and there was generally quite a bit of anxiety among the trippers and people were also falling sick, even up to the eve of the trip.

As a team, we decided to fast and pray for the trip and also engaged fellow colleagues, friends, loved ones and cell members as prayer warriors to pray along with us. We were blessed when many of them willingly agreed to pray along for us. Frankly, I felt that we would not have been able to survive the whole trip without our prayer warriors and to that we give thanks to God for; we give thanks for every single one of them. The trip went smoothly because it was bathed in prayer. Talking about the power of prayer!

The Many Willing Helping Hands

As we slowly approached the day of the mission trip, I continue to see how God continued to journey with us and blessed us. It was amazing seeing how much He has helped us to achieve within a short period of time of 12 days; amidst all the stresses and anxiety and work, we had managed to meet up to practice Malay praise and worship songs, bought all the necessary logistics and work on the props for the Sunday school. It was also amazing how God has brought people into our midst to help prepare us for the trip, including Eric and Lydia, who came to share with us their experience in previous trips and taught us Malay praise and worship songs and children action songs. We also thank God for the many cell members who have came forward to help us, including, Jeslyn, in offering her creative skills and helping us to do up the giant worship song sheets; Kent, Elly and Raymond in helping us to do up the backdrop for the skit and cut up stickers for the children. Even though it seemed like a tight deadline to have everything done up, I thank God for unity and also for joy as we went about the shopping and doing the preparations. I thank God for protecting the relationships between all the brothers and sisters and how it seemed the preparations have also brought about much bonding between the trippers.

Dealing with Anxiety

Personally, I also thank God for how he ministered to me during this period. Throughout the whole period of preparation, I can see how the team members are all so focused on doing their best to ensure the success of the trip. I do not deny that this brought with it quite a bit anxiety and stress as we thought “there are so many things to do but yet so little time”. This is especially true for me because, call it occupational hazard, I am a person who is very particular about planning as I do extensive planning to ensure success in my role at work. So by this time, I was getting all edgy with so many things to do but yet having so little time to plan. We literally had to plan as we did our preparation. But throughout the preparation phase, I sensed from God through my quiet time, how we should not focus on the wrong things and ultimately, it is not about how well the things run but it is about how both we and the people we are ministering to are blessed. Things became more crystallized when I found myself in a situation where I had to share about what God has placed on my heart, to encourage one of our trippers about this. Talking about a steep learning curve! So, it’s amazing how God has first ministered to me, and then, as if to drive the point in, caused me to minister to another.

Throughout the preparation phase, I continued to seek God to give me His word so I can encourage our trippers. So, in my quiet time, He continued to speak to me through Isaiah 40:3, Isaiah 62:10 and Isaiah 40:10 and reminded me that all we need to do is to just focused on preparing the way for Him and for His people to come to Him and how we are to continue to trust in Him that He will strengthen us and help us.

Prepare the way for Him

Isaiah 40:3 (NIV)

A voice of one calling:
"In the desert prepare
the way for the LORD;
make straight in the wilderness
a highway for our God.

Prepare the way for His people to come to Him

Isaiah 62:10 (NIV)

Pass through, pass through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people.
Build up, build up the highway!
Remove the stones.
Raise a banner for the nations.

Continue to trust in God that He will be with us as we go forth

Isaiah 40:10 (NIV)

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

In fact, God continued to minister to me through His word and through people even throughout the trip. I recall that on the first day in Melaka, as we were doing some last minute shopping at the local shopping mall, we entered a Christian bookshop. There, my sister came up to me with a devotional book and pointed out to me how the devotional for the day and the day before was just so timely and appropriate; about not focusing on the wrong things but on worshipping God through what we do. That evening, we had a powerful time of worship, which I sensed further drove this point deep into the hearts of our trippers.

The Body of Christ; One Body Many Parts

I thank God for blessing the team with wisdom and for how each member of the team joyfully brought their giftings to bless one another. I thank God for using me and my skills in planning to put the trip together, though I have come to realize how my planning skills was of no use midway through the trip and realized I had to rely on my other members and God). I thank God for using my meticulousness in managing the mission fund. I thank God for sustaining me through His word, and as much as I was encouraged spiritually, I do hope that I had also been able to encourage the team spiritually too. I thank God for Joyce for her skills and experience in working with children and how this came in handy in planning the children’s programme for the trip as she willing offered her skills and experience. I thank God for Trina for her desire to serve, for her supportive role she played in the team; always ready to serve in any way and also the insights she brings to the team. I thank God for Chek Shih for his ability to confidently drive us around, for being the fatherly figure thus reassuring us, for his ability to translate for us, for his extrovertedness in engaging the Orang Aslis, and also for his humor in bringing much light hearted moments to the trip. I also thank God for Daniel for the joy and enthusiasm he injects to the team and for his willingness to plan out the programme and also his quick-mindedness in responding to situations. I thank God for Min Qin for her enthusiasm, joy, her support to me during the time of trip preparation, her quick-mindedness and her facilitation of the powerful time of worship on Friday evening which spoke into the hearts of the team and also in planning the worship for the trip and drafting out the mission trippers’ booklet. I also thank God for the various people He has placed to support us as well, including the many who supported us in our preparation and pray for us, including Kent, who provided me assurance when he offered to be the contact person in Singapore should my parents need help and James and Joyce Marissa who graciously agreed to help facilitate cell in my absence. God made it very clear to me how he has given each and every one of us different giftings, experiences, skills and how, when we are willing, we complement one another and can achieve much in His ministry. In fact, this was really beyond what I could have imagined because in the early stages of planning, I was still concerned how we are going to pull off the trip when I realized we only had a small team, we did not really have the time to practice worshipping in Malay with the guitar and we might not have someone who could speak Malay. But God provided and showed us that as we set forth to do His work, He provides. And as the body of Christ is willing to be a part, things are achieved.

1 Corinthians 12:4-7, 14, 25-27 (NIV)
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good… Now the body is not made up of one part but of many… so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

God’s Presence

I thank God for His presence with us throughout the trip, not only protecting us; granting us journey mercies, but even in ministering to us through a powerful time of worship on Friday, when the word came how we just needed to focus our attention on praising His name as we embarked on our projects starting the next day and not on anything else.

We thank God for his presence at Sungei Mering when we were caught by surprise and were asked to facilitate a children’s programme but yet without any plans. Nonetheless, we managed to pull together a whole programme and engaged the children. We just trust God and one another and sprung into action. And before we know it, we had managed to engage the children with action songs and the adults were finishing their sharing. By this point, I sensed God teaching me how I need to sometimes learn to rely on Him.

And I thank God for His presence with me on Sunday, as I stepped out to share my testimony with the Orang Asli. There was just a sense of peace and confidence as I faced the people, contrary to how I would feel when usually sharing in public and especially to a group of people I do not know. God gave me the words to speak and blessed my heart and gave me peace, that I found myself confidently sharing and even daring to interact a little with the locals as I shared.

Takeaways

I also thank God for the various takeaways I brought home with me:

• Renewed Spiritual Fervor
  Throughout the trip, I am inspired by Pastor Joseph and his team. I have had the opportunity to chat with Pastor Joseph on Friday when we first met him. I have come to be encouraged by this man, who, despite the challenges faced in his ministry with the Orang Aslis (ranging from their indifference to disruptions from the police and authorities), he continued to hold on to his ministry for years; building rapport with the Orang Asli one by one, spanning his ministry over 17 kampungs over long distances. And yet, he has but a lean team of himself, his wife and 2 other helpers. It does make me ashamed of how I have come to lament and complain when faced with small challenges in ministry to just a small number of people, in blessed Singapore.
  
  It was also amazing seeing Pastor Joseph’s helpers worship the Lord on Sunday. As another of my trippers has remarked: “they have nothing to gain out of their ministry but yet they are putting in so much to serve the Lord”, reaching out to people who might reject them but yet holding on. As I saw his helpers worship and one of them worshipping in tears, I come to realize how each one of them must have a story behind them, an encounter with God, which motivates and sustains them. As for me, I am reminded again as we shared our testimonies on Friday evening, that I have a story too and a rather powerful encounter with God. But because I am rarely revisiting it nowadays, I seem might be slowly forgetting about how God is so real in my life. I need to continue to remember what the Lord has done in my life and am thinking that it might be good for me to revisit my story on an annual basis during my spiritual retreat while continuing to be aware of how real God is in my life every single day.
  
  Psalm 77:11-12 (NIV)
  I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.

• “One-Truth-At-A-Time”
  Pastor Joseph also shared about his ministry principle of sharing one bible truth at a time to the Orang Asli. I guess it is a real reality check for me to take a step back sometimes in ministry and how sometimes packing too many truth into one sharing might not be helpful and I need to cater to varying levels of spiritual growth.

• We are linked to one another to God
  During the trip, I had the chance to chat with Pastor Joseph and in the midst of talking, I had come to learn that he was classmates with an officer in The Salvation Army, where I work. This officer is also the same one who persisted and shared Christ with him, bringing him to Christ. Talking about a small world! And now he is here, reaching out to, ministering to and blessing many others.
  
  Much later in the trip, I recall Chek Shih sharing how we are all part of God’s link in reaching out to His people; that we can choose to be a strong link, the weakest link or the missing link.
  
  2 Corinthians 5:17-20 (NIV)
  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.
  
  Even after I returned to work from mission trip, this continue to speak strongly to me when I heard my colleagues share how one of them shared her testimony during Alpha course the week before and as a result, someone who used to be resistant to receiving Christ, was touched and chose to receive Christ that very week. My colleague had shared that the pastor who approached her mentioned that he was prompted to ask her to share her testimony and how she, despite feeling her testimony is just a simple one, was also led by the Spirit to accept the invitation to share. And after she had shared, God used her testimony to touch the life of this lady who subsequently decided to accept Christ. Nothing is impossible for God.

• Beware of cultural Assumption
  I have come to also realized how sometimes I would bring cultural assumptions into the missions field, just as how I nearly asked a boy who was doing some colouring to use orange for skin when I realized that their cultural understand of skin colour is dark brown. And God made each and every person they way they are, despite differences in skin colour, lifestyle, habits etc. I have learnt that I needed to be mindful of my cultural assumptions I bring into missions.

• Breakthroughs
  I thank God for the breakthroughs in trip. At the beginning of the trip, I was feeling really lousy at not being able to engage the children and retreating again into my introvertedness. But as I reached the second project site at Sungei Mering, I remember telling myself that there is nothing to lose and I just needed to trust God. I did managed to break out of my negativity and became more engaged with the locals as we sang and danced to Malay praise songs.
  
  Similarly, I had initially also intended not to share my testimony because the Pastor was telling us on Saturday that we can choose what we wanted to share with the locals, either a testimony or a song item etc. But after hearing him share about his challenges with the Orang Asli and how he would like to bring them to a deeper level of worship of God; from worshipping God for the goodness they received, to worshipping God for His greatness, I decided to just trust God and hoped to share and encourage them. At that very moment, God placed in my heart a burden and it became far too difficult for me to say no to share.
  
  I was glad that I took the step of faith and could sense His peace upon me as I began to share my testimony with confidence on Sunday. Even though it was just a short version of my testimony, I trust God to be able to use it mightily according to His will.

Frankly, I can go on and on… but I just want to thank God for:

• journey mercies and how despite plans and project sites were changed, we did not get lost and managed to always find our way to different places.
• exposure to working with children on Saturday as we observed the our Malaysian brothers and sisters engage the children and how this has helped us to prepare ourselves for our second project at Sg Mering and also for Sunday School.
• blessings over the trippers’ health and there was no major health problems during the trip, with the exception of me having a breakout of rashes on my neck, which cleared up soon.
• friendly locals who welcomed us
• unity and bonding not only within the team but also with Pastor Joseph and his team there. There was even a time where the team spontaneously burst out singing hymns as we made our way to Sunday service.
• food credits for our hotel stay and so we had got to enjoyed a good sumptuous Japanese buffet on the evening of day 2.
• energy and being able to sustain through the few days despite having little sleep with all the preparation the previous nights e.g. rehearsal for skit etc.
• time for fellowship and a little eating and shopping on Sunday after finishing off with Sunday service.
• touching me as I worshipped the Lord in the midst of people of a different culture, even though I did not understand them. It was amazing and awesome to see people of different tongues worshipping the Lord together. And I can’t imagine how it would be like on the day of Christ’s return when people of every nation and tongue worship and praise Him.
• enough funds and how there is even remaining money from our fund.
• the good rest I had at the trip, being away from all my work and challenges in Singapore.

Are You Tired?

Luke 10:38-41 (NIV)
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!""Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

My Realisation that "I Am Tired"
I am tried... yes, I have to admit that as I was going through devotion last week, I have come to realise that my life is filled with so many things; appointments, to-dos, meetings, trainings, planning etc that I am beginning to feel drained.

And what came out during my devotion last week came as a timely reminder from the Lord as I focused on the topic of simplicity throughout the week. And as if to reinforce the reminder, a recent sms conversation with a friend further emphasized how I needed to do something about this.

A few weeks back, one of my friends asked to meet up, since it has been ages since we last met each other. My natural response was to take out my diary and after looking through my diary, I messaged him back "let's meet on 8 August" - the day this conversation took place was 8 July. Well, no choice, that was the next available date I have given all the things I had to go and attend to and the dates I had to set aside for other things.

Not surprisingly, my friend responded something to the effect "Wow, you very busy hor? have to wait one month to meet up with you!" The sms initially made me chuckle but then made me realised how there is truth in it as well and I was indeed "very busy".

Does this seem familiar? Or maybe you have yet to come to the same stage as me but is well on the way there.

The Desire to Simplify our Lives
In an observation in my devotion last week, the author commented how we have all become "anxious, overwhelmed, overworked... and the more we fill our lives with time saving devices and time saving strategies, the more rushed we feel...".

In another observation, he confidently mentioned that whenever people ask us "Hi how are you?", our response would be something like "Oh, doing fine la, just busy, busy busy. You know packed schedules, lots of meetings, people to see, places to go".

Are you tired? Maybe, some of us has come to the stage where we are so tired, we want to just simplify our lives. And the bible seems to have lots of suggestions how we can do just that. I have learnt that:

1. The Need to See the Eventuality of Life (Setting Things in Perspective)
   "Imagine for a moment that your physician announced that you had only six months to live. Close your eyes for sixty seconds, put yourself in that position, and wait for the thouthgs and feelings to arise. Among other things, I bet your perspective changed and your values shifted... the notion that your earthly life has a definite end gives you perspective and a sense of urgency about the things that matter most".
   
   Romans 13: 11-14 (NIV)
   ¹¹And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. ¹²The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. ¹³Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. ¹⁴Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
   
   Without eternal perspective, we seem to be still asleep, living each day as it is and living to help ourselves make our lives on earth better. Well, nothing wrong with that but then we are reminded that we have life beyond death as well and what are we doing about it? Paul asked us to wake up and live each day clothed with the Lord Jesus as we live righteously. That is what God desires, that He "did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life" (1 Thessolonians 4:7) and to "be holy and blameless in his sight" (Ephesians 1:4).
   
   Today is the only day guaranteed to you, yesterday is over and tomorrow may never come...
   
   If there are anything which we have yet to repent of, ask God to help you identify these which may stand in your way of drawing to Him and experiencing His love, grace, mercy, plans and power in your life.
   
   
2. The Need for Focus on the Inner (Ask: Am I Focusing on the Right Things?)
   "We often get it backwards by attempting to start on the outside and moving inwards. Sometimes we can start by giving up certain behaviours and responsibilities, but ultimately its an illusion to think we can surrender possessions, wealth, or even a busy schedule without also having an inner change... simplicity begins by having a single purpose in life... when you stray away from God, you get caught up in the world's system and lose sight of your main purpose" which is to love God and His people (see the greatest commandment in Matthew 22:34-40, Mark 12:28-31).
   
   Matthew 6:19-21
   ¹⁹"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
   
   Science and psychology has shown that a person's inner world is real and can have great impact on our lives. We act based on what is happening on our inner worlds. So in our inner worlds, where do we focus? Do we focus on the eternal or do we focus on things of the world to quench our thirst at the depth of our souls?
   
   Do we "expend much of our emotional and physcial energy buying things we don't necessarily need, with money we certainly don't have, in order to impress people that we don't even like" in this world system of 3"i"s that speaks of "increasing your possessions, impressing others and indulging youself"?
   
   What is your purpose, what is your priorities, definition of success, perspective of life?
   
   
3. The Need to Guard Against the Enemy's Tactics / Refute the Enemy's Lies (Ask: Am I Duped?)
   "Someone once asked billionaire Nelson Rockefeller how much money it would take to satisfy a man. His answer: 'Just a little bit more!'... Perhaps one of the most powerful lies of Satan is the notion that something outside ourselves (money, possessions) can fill the thirst deep within".
   
   What brings us joy and happiness? Is it the tangible? well, I don't doubt, to a certain extent. But then, ultimately, the intangible given by God gives us meaning and purpose in life. It only goes to show we are not made to live life as mere creature comfort chasers.
   
   Thank God for all the non-material possesions that we have: our life, our health, our senses, our giftings, skills, talents, nature and the world around us, friendships and love from relationships, our salvation from the Lord and many others. Begin with a heart of thanksgiving to see what God has placed in your life.
   
   1 Thessolonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
   ¹⁶Be joyful always; ¹⁷pray continually; ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
   
   Want to be joyful? Start by giving thanks for all the things God has given you. God wants us to remember lest we forget of His love, grace, mercies and blessings just as the Israelite forgotten how He had delivered them, much like us.
   
   At two places in the early parts of the bible, we see how God knows we are forgetful people and wants us to be reminded of what He did for us so we will not stary away from Him
   
   Exodus 16:32 (NIV) - After God gives manna to the Israellites in the wilderness...
   ³² Moses said, "This is what the LORD has commanded: 'Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.' "
   
   Joshua 4:20-24 (NIV) - After God held the Jordan River so the Israllites can cross...
   ²⁰ And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. ²¹ He said to the Israelites, "In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, 'What do these stones mean?' ²² tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.' ²³ For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. ²⁴ He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God."
   
   So, God is always present in your life, we just have to be more God-aware and refute the lies of the enemy that God cannot satisfy us and we only need material possessions to make us happy; that God cannot satisfy us.
   
   For me, another area which I have found the enemy working is in the area of self-esteem. For many years, I have low self-esteem and I relied on others' affirmation of me to make myself feel good. I felt I was not good enough and worked hard to earn my affirmation. Well, the story went that I became burnt out and started to see how I was in a state I cannot save myself anymore and this is when I let God come into the picture to restore me. Well, my "homecoming" testimony in a nutshell.
   
   Sometimes, the devil do also use negative self-talk to distract us. "You are not worthy", "you are insignificant" etc and the result is that we get more and more distracted from seeking God because we need to validate ourselves and start to rely on external sources to do so. For some of us, it might be work, for some of us, it might be ministry or even for some of us, both... There is nothing wrong with work and ministry but then, just that it can be a distraction for us, making us so so drained we put seeking God a second priority.
   
   "God, I am tired and maybe I will miss church service just this once" or "God, I am exhausted today with ministry so I will rest my body and skip quiet time perhaps just this once". Soon we drift further and further away.
   
   Yes, God do call us to work and ministry but then if it is taking you away from seeking God and growing your love for both Him and His people, then, most probably it is a smoke screen.
   
   You are worthy and God loves you, each and every one of you.
   
   John 3:16 (NIV) - What God did for us in love
   ¹⁶"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
   
   Ephesians 1:4-6 (NIV) - We are adopted as His children
   ... In love ⁵he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
   
   Jeremiah 31:3ff (NIV) - Despite Israel's continued disobedience, God still love them
   ... "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. ⁴ I will build you up again..."
   
   and there are tonnes of other bible references which shows God's love for us.
   
   So we need to know our identity in Christ and refute the enemy's lies and counter the enemy's strategies. Jesus, when He was tempted at the start of His ministry by the devil, knew this and countered with 3 strong words "it is written..." (see Matthew 4). He knew the word of God and the tactics of the devil in wanting to throw Him off His feet. In the same way, the devil will try all ways, including using smoke screens, to distract us from drawing to God.
   
   2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV)
   ⁴The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ⁵We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
   
   
4. The Need to Trust in the Lord (Learn to Trust in God)
   By this time, if you have been more God-aware, it would be not difficult to trust in the Lord because you will see Him at work in your life and will believe that whatever happens, He is always there. And verses such as Hebrews 13:5-6 will just resonates in your heart:
   
   Hebrews 13:5-6 (NIV)
   "God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." ⁶So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
   
   Proverbs 3:5-6
   ⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
   
   Yes, the bible did say, lean not on your own understanding because sometimes, we may never understand why we are put in certain situations. But we need to know that "God is at work in your life and that He has grand purposes for you. Recognize that God is sovereign and ultimately in control of all things. Have confidence that God is even involved in the situations that seem to be difficult or negative... He is intimately involved with you and aware of every details of your life, working everything out according to His purpose".
   
   Romans 8:28 (NIV)
   ²⁸And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
   
   Yes, for some of us, trusting in the Lord comes naturally but yet for some of us, trust in the Lord comes whenever we can no longer handle things and just "let go and let God". Just like in Luke 8, Jesus and His disciples went on a boat to the other side of the lake and was hit by a storm. Even though with Jesus on board, the disciples panicked (well, I would do the same too if I was there). But Jesus asks in Luke 8:25 "Where is your faith?". For some of us, we come into an encounter to trust God during a storm and when we realised we can no longer handle it ourselves.
   
   "Don't you hate it when you lose your keys? Just as I (Sam) was walking out the door the other day, I realized I didn't have them. I was going to be late to an important meeting. I had things to do and people to see. But I couldn't even leave my house without my key: keys to my car, keys to my office, keys to my files. I was paralyzed and helpess without them. All of a sudden my fast-paced world came to a screeching halt. I had to immediately align my priorities, and I was consumed with my task - to find my keys. It seems a simple task- to find my otherwise insignificant and unappreciated keys-but it became an essential and mandatory part of my day".
   
   Sometimes, we treat God like the keys. But unlike keys, God is significant but still we overlook, do not appreciate and sometimes even taken God for granted. But in times, of crisis, we just have to refocus our priorities to recognise we can no longer deal with it alone.
   
   Sometimes, it takes a crisis but sometimes, it also takes a community to help us to trust in the Lord. For me, I have come to realise the power of community as each week, we come together to do life as a cell and allowing God to minister to us through one another. It is also powerful to see how God is at work in each and others' life and sometimes, when I am going through a tough week but hears how God is real in anothers' life or even help another to overcome difficulty, it makes me so much more say "God, I know you are real. Come and work in my life and help me through this situation". And the amazing thing is that, all these are working even though we do not necessarily see them.
   
   
5. The Need to Make the Decision (Seek God First)
   Just like in the beginning of the article, we started with the account of Jesus at the home of Martha and Mary, we shall conclude also with this passage and look at the truths.
   
   The passage gives us insight into a sharp contrast between that of Martha and Mary. Despite opening the house to Jesus, Martha became busy and distracted with the preparation in the kitchen while Mary sat at the feet of Jesus to listen to Him. Sure enough, we can justify to say that Martha would like to honour Jesus but here Jesus shows us that all we need it sometimes to learn to sit at His feet and listen to His words. We can be like Martha, opening our hearts to God and allowing Him to come in, but yet allowing the distractions of the world to pull us away. Jesus saw the opportunity to teach Martha that we need not worry but first seek Him and all else will fall in place.
   
   Matthew 6:24 (NIV)
   ²⁴"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
   
   Matthew 6:31-33 (NIV)
   ³¹So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
   
   Make the choice to choose to sit at the feet of Jesus and be still to know that as we seek Him and His kingdom and His righteousness, things are in His hands. Don't just slow down but choose to sit at His feet.
   
   But I know at times, fear will grip you again and concerns and doubts and worries will come again. And that is where the need to guard against the enemy comes again and to see God at work in your life and to trust Him.
   
   

Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
"Be still, and know that I am God"

11 Be Still And Know (Ps 46_1-2, 10).mp3 -

Note: References in blue are taken from "Devotional for Dating Couples" by Ben Young & Dr. Samuel Adams