2013 started out positively, and then it came crashing down to some girl pals. heartbrokenness. depression. uncertainty of the future. childlessness. i myself do feel the pain of waiting and yearning. and it's only the beginning of april! how should we try to get past 2013 without any worry?
the truth is...there are bound to be things that we worry about. on daily basis too! money, food, health, job satisfaction, meaning of life, future spouse, social expectation, education, decisions on grey area. the list is endless. it's easy for us to ask, "where's god? i've prayed, i've cried out to him, but i heard nothing!" for those who don't know god, they are usually tougher cookies. they'd say life is a b*tch and would do anything in their power to find a solution. it will only do good for a certain amount of time before hopelessness shall overtake. the current age of enlightenment doesn't help either. people resort to step-by-step guide to happiness, or success, or wealth, or organizing their lives.
i don't deny that one needs structure in his or her life. direction of life is also equally important. but over the last one year, i've learned that all my plans may not work out the way i envisioned them to be, despite the power and the will to do them. God says in isaiah 55:8 that His thoughts are not my thoughts and neither are His plans mine. i do know that my plans are based on presupposition that as long as i'm kind to others, i've done my part to contribute something big or small to society, i'm good enough. unfortunately, the Lord can allow things to be taken away that may make my presupposition invalid. so what should we hang on to? philippians 3:8 mentions about EVERYTHING being a loss in comparison to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord. verses 13-14 further explain how Paul saw his life: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, that is to press on toward winning the prize for what God has asked him to do.
so, why then, should we worry? Christ even said in matthew 6:34 that tomorrow will worry about itself as each day has enough trouble of its own. do think back of your past problems. did you see how God's been at work? did you see how those problems that seemed like Mount Everest originally turned out to be a speck of dust today? i think we do tend to take God for granted when times are good. we don't keep track of God's goodness "checklist" because it seems too intrinsic, intangible, and our own arrogance that we deserve all the credits. sigh. indeed, our flesh wants to justify our acts, discounting God's greatness.
the words of this hymn have captured my heart whenever i feel fatigue and hopeless. i do hope that you find comfort in them too. not forgetting that we have just celebrated easter, where death does not conquer the Son of Man. it's just a small tripping stone for Him to accomplish His work in mankind...and can you believe that He still lives in us!
"my hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus Christ my righteousness
i dare not trust the sweetest frame
but wholy lean on Jesus' name
on Christ the solid rock i found
all other ground is sinking sand
all other ground is sinking sand"
-my hope is built on nothing less (edward mote, 1863)
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