Have you ever felt that your life was going nowhere? Stuck. No ways to walk out. Trapped in a pit without sunshine to shine on your face? Read your Bible, praying and do your Christianity to-do lists without finding anything that gets you out of there?
Yeah.. I have been going through that situation. Reading my Bible without understanding what was God speaking to me, praying without any clue that my prayers will get answered. I have no idea why God seems to leave me. He appears to walk away from me. He has been silent for .. I don't now, it seems forever for me. A long, long time without good connection with God. As I know, I've been trying to do anything good, but I always failed. God seems to be nowhere, don't care how hard I push myself to approach Him.
I just felt I couldn't stand it any longer. I told God this morning to speak to me through anything. I would open my laptop, checked my emails, my daily devotionals, and I was hoping that He heard me and would get me into a place I could meet Him or at least, heard His voice. And you know, I didn't know how, I arrived at Lysa Terkeurst's blog (you can read the post here) where she wrote about her experience with God, and the same feeling as I've been feeling for months.
Here's what she wrote ..
There have been many days in my Christian journey where God was reduced to something on my to do list. Somewhere along the way I picked up a checklist of sort of what good Christians are supposed to do: Pray. Read your Bible. Go to church. Don't cuss. Be nice.
Being the rule following girl I am, I subscribed to that list and waited with great expectations to receive the zap of contentment and happiness good Christians girls are supposed to exude.
And then I felt something was wrong me.
I still felt restless. I still got angry. I still felt a bit hollow.
I was going through all the motions but didn't feel connected to Jesus. Others around me seemed very connected. They would talk of being 'moved by the spirit.' They would hear from God himself. They would clap their hands and shout amen in the middle of a sermon that sounded like Greek to me.
I often felt like a weightless soul grasping at the air hoping to somehow snag this Jesus that was just out of reach.
Have you ever been there?
(You can continue reading by clicking the link above).
And this was exactly what I feel! And yeah.. I also found that this post had 74 comments! It means that almost 74 people once in their lives ever felt this way, too. I continued reading the comments and found this encouraging comment from Joyful (you must read her encouraging blog!).
I read once that the Lord can only be silent with those He knows will continue to seek His face. He sees you. He loves you. He is with you. His word never returns void. Keep spending time with Him. I just really feel He is molding something very special within your heart. I know sometimes it's hard. I know sometimes it's frustrating. Don't give up. He sees the longing of your heart and His Word promises that those who diligently seek Him will find Him.
It got me thinking. Could it be me? Could God be silent with me because He knows that I will continue to seek His face? I don't know. So far, I persevere :).
And this one from Anonymous..
Although life gets hectic, there are reminders all around us. If we look up and see the changing sky, the clouds dancing and changing color. We are experiencing a reminder of the One who created it all.
Okay. I have to admit. Perhaps God has been showing me His clues and direction for me to find, but probably my eyes can't see it clearly, because of all pains and sorrows I've been bearing these times had become my main focus. Hopefully, we all can see His directions through anything He puts around us to remind us that He, God of the universe is there, not leaving us alone..
Forgive me, Lord. Please, let me see You. I want to know You deeper. I want to see Your glory revealed through and in my life. Use me according to Your will. Take my whole life, Lord. Please, don't leave me alone. I can't handle it myself. I need You.
Thank You for speaking to me through certain blogs and its comments.
Blessed be Your Name..
Friday, October 30, 2009
CREATED DIVERSITY
This is a devotional from Anchor Your Life, written by Marji Kruger. I found it resonated with what I feel today. Yeah.. if He created us differently each other, we have to know what's our uniqueness and personal purposes He put in each of us in order to be fulfilled.
Oh, please read it yourself..
Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. (NIV) Isaiah 64:8
Sitting on a balcony overlooking the Gulf of Mexico with my laptop in hand I am in awe! What a great setting! It always amazes me to look out on creation and see the diversity that God created. I watch the pelicans and seagulls flying around, occasionally dipping down into the water for breakfast...the fish jumping, the water is ever moving...the diversity of the trees and plant life... palm trees of different heights and shapes, bending at all different angles...saw grass, oak trees, pine trees...even trees in the middle of the bay behind me, seemingly growing without land.
God created diversity...different lines, heights, and shapes. In contrast, man has made things symmetrical, straight, and repetitive...the pilings supporting the dock are all the same heights at the same angles, spaced at the same distance...the docks are all at right angles... picnic tables, garbage cans, chairs, light posts all uniform. God created diversity, man uniformity.
That teaches me that God works differently each time He does something. His purposes and character do not change, but He is not confined to always work in the same way. And God does not create people the same. Each person is unique, different in looks, styles, personalities and purposes.
Why did God create you? What unique talents has He given you? What is His unique purpose for you? And what are the unique ways that He is and will work in you? Not sure, try asking Him!
Written by Marji "Mike" Kruger.
Oh, please read it yourself..
Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. (NIV) Isaiah 64:8
Sitting on a balcony overlooking the Gulf of Mexico with my laptop in hand I am in awe! What a great setting! It always amazes me to look out on creation and see the diversity that God created. I watch the pelicans and seagulls flying around, occasionally dipping down into the water for breakfast...the fish jumping, the water is ever moving...the diversity of the trees and plant life... palm trees of different heights and shapes, bending at all different angles...saw grass, oak trees, pine trees...even trees in the middle of the bay behind me, seemingly growing without land.
God created diversity...different lines, heights, and shapes. In contrast, man has made things symmetrical, straight, and repetitive...the pilings supporting the dock are all the same heights at the same angles, spaced at the same distance...the docks are all at right angles... picnic tables, garbage cans, chairs, light posts all uniform. God created diversity, man uniformity.
That teaches me that God works differently each time He does something. His purposes and character do not change, but He is not confined to always work in the same way. And God does not create people the same. Each person is unique, different in looks, styles, personalities and purposes.
Why did God create you? What unique talents has He given you? What is His unique purpose for you? And what are the unique ways that He is and will work in you? Not sure, try asking Him!
Written by Marji "Mike" Kruger.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
ARE YOU STUCK PROVING YOUR WORTH THAT YOU MISS OUT LIVING YOUR POSSIBILITIES?
We all know that deep inside us, we have a need to be loved and to be accepted just the way we are. But so often, we get stumbled on people's attitude that treat us badly. So, the words 'You're not good enough', or 'You're not lovable enough', and many inferior feelings always there haunting our lives. When I read this article, it got me thinking that definitely, I'm not the only person in the world who feel that way. I'm not alone. Many people out there are suffering the same pain with me due to this 'worth' thing. So, in case you're like me, ever feel this way, this article may be helpful..
The vast majority of us, since childhood, have been trying desperately to prove our worth. We try to prove our worth to our parents, teachers, friends and lovers. We become so absorbed in meeting their standards that we missed out finding our own potential.
To focus our life in proving ourselves to others is not only a loosing battle but a waste of time.
The downside of proving your worth to others is that different people has different standards of what being “worthy” means. To be obsessed in proving our worth to another person is to give that person control in your life. Now think how many persons are you trying to prove your worth?
Ten?
That mean 10 people are somehow stirring your life in 10 different directions.
Feeling dizzy?
If we give more time meeting other’s standards, we may sacrifice finding our own identity.
God did not create us to prove ourselves to others, but to live life to the full. Jesus Himself said: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” And we shall find life’s fullness in discovering and living out our vocation. Our vocation is God’s will, calling and plan for our lives.
“Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.” -John 4:34
To discover and realize God’s plans for our lives is to open ourselves to unlimited possibilities that we have not even come to imagine. Living out our vocation is to let the seed of greatness that God planted in us grow. And like a small mustard seed, it shall grow into a great tree.
The road to greatness is the path of discovering our God given gifts and living out our vocation. We should stop trying to meet other people’s standards and start living in His.
In every one of us lies a great potential.
You do not need to prove it.
It is there.
What you need to do is live it.
…unlimited possibilities awaits.
The vast majority of us, since childhood, have been trying desperately to prove our worth. We try to prove our worth to our parents, teachers, friends and lovers. We become so absorbed in meeting their standards that we missed out finding our own potential.
To focus our life in proving ourselves to others is not only a loosing battle but a waste of time.
The downside of proving your worth to others is that different people has different standards of what being “worthy” means. To be obsessed in proving our worth to another person is to give that person control in your life. Now think how many persons are you trying to prove your worth?
Ten?
That mean 10 people are somehow stirring your life in 10 different directions.
Feeling dizzy?
If we give more time meeting other’s standards, we may sacrifice finding our own identity.
God did not create us to prove ourselves to others, but to live life to the full. Jesus Himself said: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” And we shall find life’s fullness in discovering and living out our vocation. Our vocation is God’s will, calling and plan for our lives.
“Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.” -John 4:34
To discover and realize God’s plans for our lives is to open ourselves to unlimited possibilities that we have not even come to imagine. Living out our vocation is to let the seed of greatness that God planted in us grow. And like a small mustard seed, it shall grow into a great tree.
The road to greatness is the path of discovering our God given gifts and living out our vocation. We should stop trying to meet other people’s standards and start living in His.
In every one of us lies a great potential.
You do not need to prove it.
It is there.
What you need to do is live it.
…unlimited possibilities awaits.
Blog by Daxx Bondoc
CAN GOD BRING GOOD OUT OF BAD?
This is an inspiring article of Greg Laurie's blog that I consider very useful and comforting when I read it. So, I just copy paste here on my blog so you can read it also. Yeah.. talking about suffering, we really want to avoid it, but still we have to go through it, and if we would, we could learn something from it. Happy reading..
I am going to deal with the question, can God bring good out of bad? I believe the answer is “Yes!”
Look, suffering is inevitable. No one gets a free pass. The fact of the matter is that you are either coming out of a storm or headed into another. It’s just a matter of time.
In this life, the only way to avoid suffering is to die.
What you want to do is get ready now, so you will have a proper biblical foundation and can properly process and react as these challenges come into your life.
Prepare ahead of time
As Randy Alcorn says in his book If God is Good, “Most of us don’t give focused thought to evil and suffering until we experience them. This forces us to formulate perspective on the fly, at a time when our thinking is muddled and we’re exhausted and consumed by pressing issues. People who have ‘been there’ will attest that it’s far better to think through suffering in advance.”
In other words, be prepared ahead of time!
Avoiding storms
Paul reminds us that we are to “Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts, and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other” (Colossians 3:16).
But we would rather not do that, because the topic of suffering is difficult and uncomfortable.
Suffering is one of those things we all want to avoid if at all possible. If you are flying and you see a storm, you try to fly around it, not into it.
But here’s the reality—sometimes you simply cannot do that. Your life can be going reasonably well one moment, and then it changes in a flash.
That certainly happened for our family.
Good things out of suffering?
Here is one of the “good things” that come out of crisis and suffering. You turn to God with a dependence like you have never had before, like a child running to their mom or dad and burying their face in their shoulder.
And you know what? God is there waiting for you with the strength, peace, and love you need. Not necessarily with all the answers you may want, but He is there.
One of the things you “treasure” in suffering is knowing God’s presence as you do. Your faith begins to grow stronger.
Use it or lose it!
Faith does not grow through ease and comfort. It grows through challenge, conflict, and difficulty.
Faith is like a muscle in that it gets stronger through use, not neglect. If you do not use your muscle, it can atrophy.
We have a choice in life—use it or lose it!
The Bible reminds us, “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way” (James 1:2-4 THE MESSAGE).
Source : Greg Laurie's blog
Friday, October 16, 2009
The Little Princess
I've just read an interesting story about Halloween on this link and found the site is really cool and awesome. They got the way to spread The Gospel via email. You should visit the site! :)
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