"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
- Matthew 11:28 -
When I read this verse, I think of the former Korn guitarist Brian 'Head' Welch and how his life transformed when he offered his life to Jesus Christ. It all started when he was getting tired of his life with all the drugs, the booze, the waste that his fame brought. Then someone shared that verse to him which seemed like it came from nowhere and he exclaimed, 'I'm weary. Yeah, I'm burdened. And sure I need some rest.' Or something like that. Then he started going to church and felt like everyone was out to get him. It was quite ironic because he went to church, but then when he got home, he would continue doing drugs while his daughter was just around the corner. Then something wonderful happened. God opened his eyes and he said something like this, 'God, if you are out there, take away these things that are ruining my life and my daughter's life. And come into my life.' How amazing it is! When I read and watched his testimony, I was really amazed and really glad of how God transformed his life all throughout! Sure, I heard before that one of the members of Korn left and some Korn members thought of it as they somehow 'lost' a brother or something. I'm somewhat into rock and metal kind of music so I kinda know these things. Little did I know that the reason he got 'lost' from his former band was that because Christ found him, he offered his life to Christ and he was completely transformed! Amazing! Sure he still has some tattoos, piercings and stuff considered to be, I dunno, repulsive to Christians I guess? But listening to his story, reading his wiki biography (I know, it may not be well-documented, but still), and reading and watching some more stuff about him, I believe that he has truly changed and he somehow speaks for other people that no matter how wasted your life is, no matter how awful you felt, no matter how bad you feel you are, if you just turn around, face Jesus and seek Him with all your heart, God will turn things around for you and He will bless you. (Brian Welch's testimony can be found here: http://www.iamsecond.com/seconds/brian-welch/) If you keep an open mind and an open heart to Him, He will enter in your life and transform it in ways that you can never imagine. I know I did. And it has been the most wonderful thing that has ever happened in my life. I just can't explain it. That feeling of knowing that God is always by your side, always there to protect you, always there to listen to you and accept you for everything that you are and still loves you. And always guiding you and drawing you closer to Him, giving you strength and blessing you. It's overwhelming. Sometimes I wish and pray that my loved ones would feel what I'm feeling. But I know that God will touch their hearts and open their eyes in His time. I know I just gotta keep praying and persevering in serving Him and setting an example of how Jesus Christ transformed my life. It's the best thing that ever happened. So whenever you feel weary and burdened, just call out to Him and He will do the rest. :)
"But he 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."
- 2 Corinthians 12:9 - My friend and I have been talking about relationships for a couple of hours. Then we came to the point of talking about the weakness of the flesh and somehow when I read this verse it made me think of the conversation we had about it.
Nowadays, as I have observed in the society that I live in, sexual intercourse is seen as a 'normal' thing to do between couples. And I mean unmarried couples and not just those liberated people where you won't be surprised if they have done it already. I'm also thinking about decent couples who are already considered adults with or without jobs already but are doing it outside marriage. It seems, in this generation, it is difficult to find someone pure outside of marriage and someone who has enough self-control and patience to wait for the right time.
Sometimes, it happens to the most unlikely of people. It can happen to anyone. It can happen to people whom you highly think of; that you couldn't imagine that he or she would do that; that you would be so surprised if you find out if he or she did that. It can happen to people who would say that they're not gonna do that but when the time comes, they would be so consumed with it and little did they know they're already doing it. It can make a hypocrite out of us.
There are really a lot of factors to consider on why people have done it. Really a lot. Not just peer pressure, insecurity, wanting acceptance, and mindset of seeing it as something that is 'okay' to do. Somehow, it also has to do with the weakness of the flesh. Especially if your emotions are so strong for each other and you get consumed by it, you can really do stupid things outside your character. To have self-control is to have strength and not all people have managed to pull this off. I really admire this friend of mine because she was able to control herself. I don't know much people who have done this because most of the people I know have done it already so I was really amazed and I really appreciate her for being so strong.
So what did she do?
She prayed to God about it. She said prayers really do a lot and I do agree with her. It is a really powerful thing that can make you do things and can make things happen you couldn't imagine would happen. Great things! It also strengthens your relationship with God and it never fails to give you a sense of assurance and security that everything's going to be alright. With just you alone, you won't be able to succeed. Not with the weaknesses and the sinful nature of man. You won't be able to do it yourself. To have the strength and self-control especially if you're not strong enough to fight for your convictions and your partner does not share the same belief as you do. The weakness of the flesh will consume us but God assures, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made PERFECT in weakness'.
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." - Psalm 23:4 -
No matter what happens, Oh Lord, I will not fear if bad or evil things will happen for I know that you are with me and you will comfort me. So even if I go through very rough paths, your guidance and protection will be there to fend off evil.
"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." - Psalm 73:26 -
This can mean many things to many people and holds a lot of interpretations for one to ponder about. This may pertain to sickness in the flesh or sickness in the society. As for me, I find it quite intriguing that this psalm correlates to what I have just read and watched previously. I was watching a video about the freemasons, a supposed brotherhood of secrets. A society of the rich and powerful. Then it led me to be curious about the New World Order conspiracy theory. While I haven't found or there are no concrete hard evidences pertaining to this theory or the allusions of it regarding the freemasons, it can make one wonder, especially someone with an open and inquisitive mind, that something like this is not very far from happening. That sooner or later, the rich and powerful elite will have control over the whole world under a totalitarian government and reduce the population to retain the upper class. It's like a large scale holocaust but done in a massive secret. Just thinking about it scares me off my wits! When I read Psalm 73, I would think that this speaks about evil wicked things that people do. It talks about wealth, power, and wickedness. How they can go about their lives without having to worry about things that common people do and are doing things for their own selfish desires. But this very psalm reminds me of the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord. Even if I live up to the day that this will be in the clearing and I see goodness being destroyed by the wicked, God will be my strength to keep me moving towards Him. Even if my flesh and my heart will fail and my weakness will fall upon me, I will call unto the Lord and His strength will abound in me.
"...I will tell all of your deeds." - Psalm 73:28 -
"I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him..." - Isaiah 57:18 - Despite of our shortcomings and failures to God, He does not accuse and be angry always with us. In fact, He even heals, guides, and restores us so that we will praise and glorify Him even more. He heals us of all our sicknesses. He guides us to the right and truth path and He restores comfort in our hearts and spirits so that peace will abound in us.
"When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 'He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.'" - Matthew 8:16-17 -
Right now, I'm sick. I am inflicted with a disease that would soon be visible and would greatly affect my entire life. I have even thought to myself, even before, that I am not gonna last long in this temporal world. I thought that if I'm going to die, it would be out of a grave illness. I think it's better than to die in an accident or tortured or abused or raped or be killed by someone. But of course, it would be best to die a natural death. But honestly, when or how we die is not merely as important as how we lived. If we have lived a truly fulfilling life nourishing our soul within, then we would not be afraid of the consequences of death.
I know I have not been taking care of my health lately. I am as disorganized as my mind seeks out new information one after another. As chaotic as how my emotions can drive me to 'create stuff'. It has its pros and cons. I just hoped that I can still let my creativity and thought process flow while keeping my feet in the ground and becoming aware of my surroundings and my wellness.
When one is sick, one would pray to get better and be healthy. I do wish for that. But somehow, I feel unworthy to ask of such things knowing that the result of my health is due to my faulty decisions and neglectful outlook towards it. Rather, I find it better to pray that I continually grow in His loving arms and that I will not fail Him as I spend my days here on earth, so that when the time comes, I would accept it gracefully and confidently knowing that God is by my side.
But now that I am aware, I still do try to make my health better by doing the right things. Somehow it's very very hard for me. Old habits die hard. I'm very inconsistent and tend to stumble and falter following my own whims and doing things impulsively and not eating right at the right time. I realized, I haven't really prayed devotedly to God to help me with my struggle against this dilemma. But I wouldn't have come up with this if I were not to write my thoughts out. Thank God for His faithfulness and love. Just like me, one just needs to pray and present our problems to God and He will do wonders in our lives. "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." - John 16:33 -
Another coincidence? Or another verse that speaks right through my heart as of the moment. I have been experiencing conflicting emotions right now. I don't always bother about relationships with other people especially intimate relationships (unless it's really worth it) because they usually create messy situations and issues. I always want to have a peace of mind. That's why I hate people politics, issues, conflicts and controversies among peers. They just destroy the peace that I've been maintaining. But this verse says that one can truly achieve peace in Jesus. This is just the peace I need in my life. And I've failed to realize it just a few hours before. I was just so caught up with the things that were happening around me. I was really bothered, but the irony of it is that I didn't call unto God about them. I just kept on thinking about the stuff that were happening and just saying things off of my mind. Jesus says that in this world we will have trouble. There will always be things happening that are beyond our control. Just like what I have always been saying, one just have to trust and hope in the Lord no matter what happens in our lives. Take heart because Jesus is overcoming the world along with its pain and tribulations.
"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:37-39 -
Nothing, even sickness can separate us from the love of the Lord. I have heard a couple of times from various people that sickness, suffering and pain is relative to sins. Whether they are your sins or the sins of your relatives ahead of you. Like punishment. I realized that I have planted this principle in my life that I am always careful not to do things that I perceive as bad based on a lot of factors. What's ironic is that despite of me trying to do good things, I still experience sickness, suffering, and pain. I must have done something wrong. Could it be the sins of my ancestors? Could it be sins from the past that I was not aware of? But soon, God made me realize that sickness, suffering and pain is not always relative to sins and wrong doing. In fact, they served as a better purpose for they led me closer to the presence of God.
I had a very insightful church service last Sunday and it was really profound and really made me think. It's actually one of the things that's bothering me once in a while. The pastor gave two examples of two devoted Christians, who, at some point in their lives, left Christianity and became agnostics. I have also heard before about some Christians who turned their backs from Christ. And hearing stories like these are truly heart breaking. I sometimes fear that something like that will happen to me. When these thoughts would overcome me, I would then pray to God that He keep my heart and soul only for Him. That He will never leave me if I am too weak and too vulnerable. I pray that that will never happen to me. That is worst than all the sicknesses in the world. That is actually the worst thing that will ever happen to me. And I pray that I will not come to that point ever. It's just dreadful.
Now regarding the two devoted Christians that the pastor mentioned, they were really great theologists and preachers. They even finished college degrees about it from prestigious schools! They preached to a lot of people and were highly acclaimed Christians! And it's sad to know that after being really great Christians, they turned their backs on Him and even wrote books about it. The pastor exclaimed that what more with us--if it happened to those really devout Christians, it could happen to any of us! But the pastor somehow made us understand that we shouldn't worry about straying from God for if our hearts and souls are truly for the Lord, we will never leave and falter.
So what about those Christians who left the ministry? What exactly happened? The pastor then explained that one Christian fell away from his faith because he couldn't understand how only Christians can be saved when the final day comes. Of all the millions and billions of peoples in the world, is it the only truth that those who is in Christ will be the only ones who will be saved? I figured this person must have learned a lot of different religions for him to doubt his own faith. Actually, he became agnostic after graduating from a prestigious university about theology or religion (I didn't quite remember but it is somehow related to that). So from that statement, I can deduce that he was able to learn different kinds of religions that he became agnostic. Another reason that the other Christian turned away was that he could not comprehend the suffering of the world. He probably had seen too much suffering going on around him that he could not imagine that God allowed this to happen. He could probably not imagine there is a Holy and Loving God who is allowing these things to happen. There can be many reasons why they turned away from Jesus Christ and one can only wonder and presume what really happened based on these information. But one thing is clear about their actions--too much skepticism and doubt. While it's not a good thing to be ignorant and have a blind faith, it's also not a good thing to question and doubt too much that you trust in your own reasoning and understanding without God's guidance. Surely this isn't wisdom nor knowledge that the Bible speaks of. It is something that creeps into the hearts of men when they let their own logic and intelligence rule over them and do not consult God in everything that they do.
"By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding, it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." - Proverbs 24:3-4 -
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." - Proverbs 1:7 -
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding: In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes: fear the Lord and shun evil." - Proverbs 3:5-7 -
"The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice." - Proverbs 12:15 -
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." - Proverbs 14:12 -
"Is anyone of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven." - James 5:14-15 -
"Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall." - Psalm 55:22 -
This verse gives hope. Psalm 55 talks about how David suffered many things from his enemies and anxiety was in his heart. But it ended in victory with the realization that God saves and sustains anyone who calls Him out and prays to Him especially in times of adversity. If you offer your life to Him, if you just offer every aspect of your life to Him, He will take care of you and gives you the very best. He will sustain you in your needs. He will help you grow and learn how to be a genuine Christian. He will change your mind without you even noticing it. And once you are in His care, He will never let go of you. He will sustain and strengthen your faith.
"For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." - Isaiah 41:13 -
Thank you for your comforting words. For holding my hand and saying to me that everything will be alright. I have been fearful and anxious most of the time. And I'm thankful that you're there to help me. Telling me not to fear anything that is to come for you will always sustain me. Help me to realize your goodness when I get blinded by my fears. Help me to hope in you always.
"Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than clothes?" - Matthew 6:25 -
It has been heard many times that worrying will not resolve anything or will make things better. It will only make you sick and look old. But it's quite ironic that many of us worry about the little things in life without even knowing it. For some, they worry about what they will eat or drink with the little money they have. Some are confused on what and where to buy. Others are worried about what they are going to wear or will they even have anything to wear? But aside from what this verse speaks, other things that people worry are their health, bodies, physical appearances, health and safety of their loved ones, social pressures, questionable mutuality among peers and such. Do we also have to worry about these stuff? God says do not worry about your life. About anything at all. Why? Because worry will not change the circumstances in your life. It will only aggravate it. Only by praying and hoping to God can move and make things better. It may not always be the answer you are looking for. But it will always be for the best. But one must realize the act of worrying itself before he/she can even stop it. For if you fail to realize or acknowledge that you are in fact worrying, it may consume and blind you leading to your demise.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." - Matthew 11:28-29 -
I will never get tired of hearing God's comforting words for they never fail to give me hope and ease my soul. Whenever I cry out all the things that's bothering me, I know that He is listening to me when I can feel that the anxiety has left me. No longer afraid. No longer fearful. But hope overflows and shows. I am grateful that God has never given up on me despite of my shortcomings and never stopped listening to my cries all over again. He answers our prayers in His own time and his time is always right.
When we turn to Him, He will give us rest that even the best bed can't give. And if we turn to Him, we learn to be like Him--gentle and humble in heart. That is what God wants us to be. He wants us to be gentle in all matters. In making decisions and in living our daily lives. Not to forget, He wants us to be humble in heart. Never to brag anything because everything that we have all comes from God. Although we may have worked hard for some of the things we have acquired in this life, but God is the one who provided us with the needed strength and motivation to acquire those things. In everything that we do, we must always give glory to the One who has given us this precious gift of life and every good thing in it.
"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 -
"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." - Genesis 50:20 -
Even before in the old times, persecution was not uncommon. It was happening in the time of Moses, the time of Jesus, the time of Paul, up until now. Christians are being persecuted all the time. They are persecuted for their beliefs, their values, their way of life, and their persistence in fighting for God. But despite of being persecuted, we know that their purpose is for our benefit. That despite of the harm brought upon us because of our faith, we endure for we know that they have helped us grow spiritually. They have allowed us to share them so that people will know that God saves. To inspire and move people that from the suffering that we have experienced, God has saved and blessed us from all of it.
"Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away." - Psalm 37:1-2 -
God tells us not to be worried, annoyed, or irritated because of the evil things that are happening around us. Nor should we become envious of the people who do wrong. For when all things come to pass, only good things will prevail and all those evil things will soon die away.
Nowadays, most of the people's means of pleasure and fun are booze, immorality, wasted partying, drugs, gossip, and worthless talks. Sometimes one has to decide between going out and hanging out with friends thinking that it's harmless fun in contrast with keeping up with your integrity, values, beliefs, and faith according to God. The thought of hanging out with friends and to be not left out is somehow enticing but provides short term pleasure. Gradually and slowly, it consumes you and drifts you far away from where you are supposed to be going. What seems to be harmless fun can have a profound impact on you. It affects your body, your mind, your heart, and most especially your soul. Little by little, it tears you apart and before you knew it, you watch your life unfold gradually wasted away. But then again, if you choose the road less travelled, it can be difficult and lonely. You feel left out. You wish you can be with them. You also want to have fun. You feel envious. But just as the verse above states, you don't have to fret or be envious about those things. For God is with you and he provides you with far greater joy compared to short term pleasures and happiness this world brings. When God is in your life and you are living for Him, you know that it is not in vain and your life is not wasted away. You are living for someone far greater than anyone or anything in this world. And this gives you hope. For in Him, there is eternal life and when all things come to pass, you can confidently face Him as you live and trust your life in Him. "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." - Matthew 5:10-12 - When I was a kid I used to think that Jesus Christ's Beatitudes was for a different set of people. I was thinking that each blessing was for each kind of person. Like there are some people who are meek while others are peacemakers. I tend to categorize that these people are different from each other. I would then pick one trait to receive the blessing associated with it.
As I grew maturely, little did I know that all these traits are the traits of a faithful Christian. All the blessings mentioned in these verses are everything that a Christian will obtain given those traits. They co-exist with one another and they are not just of a certain set of people. Rather, they speak of what a Christ-like person is. Not just traits, but the things mentioned in here like being persecuted or insulted are the things that happen in a Christian's life.
When these things happen, it's not because God wants you to suffer for no reason at all. It's because God wants to show you that despite of all these things, He is always there for you. He doesn't want you to give up. Rather, he wants you to endure patiently for Him for great is your reward in heaven and it is a sure thing that you will inherit the kingdom of heaven. "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. " - 2 Corinthians 4:8-12 -
Living a Christian life can be difficult. You have to give up a lifestyle or way of thinking that contradicts your Christian faith and deviates you from the path to everlasting life. You have to be willing and be prepared to suffer for God's Holy Name. But all these things are nothing compared to the everlasting joy that God provides. When you keep Jesus Christ inside your hearts, you will not be thinking about these things anymore. They wouldn't matter anymore. Because you set your heart, mind, and soul to something even greater and higher. When Jesus Christ has touched your life, you will have a new way of looking at things. You will have a never fading hope and you will be filled by God's Holy Spirit which sustains you every single day.
"And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." - 2 Timothy 1:11-12 -
Each and everyone of us has a purpose in this world. God has given us plenty of blessings enough so that we can live His purpose for us. And as we are called to His purpose, there will be corresponding sufferings that are associated with it. We have to carry on our own crosses and share the sufferings of Christ. For just as we suffer along with Him, we will also rejoice with Him when He proclaims His new kingdom and banish evil everywhere. To disclose one's sufferings and pains can somehow be humbling yet humiliating. But knowing God's promises and believing in Him, we know that we have nothing to be ashamed of.
"Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened." - 1 Peter 3:13-14 -
I think this verse is pretty clear. Who is going to harm you if are doing what is good? If you are doing your best for God's glory? God is there to always protect and take care of us that He does not let anyone harm us. But this doesn't mean that we will not encounter pain and sufferings along the way. For God did not create the first earth to be like heaven where everything is perfect. But even so, it says here that we are blessed when bad things happen to us when what we are doing is for His glory; when we are suffering for what is right. For we know that when this first earth fades away, the righteous will be victorious and the evil will be banished from all the lands. It also states do not fear what men can do. Rather, fear the Lord for what He can do. When evil things surround you, you just have to trust and hope in Him for it will not be in vain. He always saves. He always protects. How many times have I experienced when I am in a pinch or when I feel that danger is just around the corner. When these things happen, I think of God. 'Lord, I put my trust in you. That no matter happens, I know that you are always there for me. And I pray that whatever happens to me, my faith and love for you will not falter. Rather, it will become stronger than ever.
That familiar feeling of melancholy. That emotion that I have come to know so well. The feeling that brought me to God's wonderful presence.
"The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." - Deuteronomy 31:8 -
To everyone who is in Christ, He is always with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Even if you seem to have strayed your attention to something else. When you are enjoying your time with your friends, He is with you. When you are at work focusing on your tasks, He is still there with you. When you are going about with your life, He is always there with you. Most especially when you are feeling anxious, afraid, or discouraged, He is very close to your heart. He hears every beat and He knows how you feel even before you even speak of it. It's always better to call out to Him when things don't turn out so well for that is the time He is nearest to our hearts. He comforts us so that we no longer have to be afraid nor discouraged no matter what happens.
"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." - Psalm 34:18 -
From this verse, it is clear that the LORD is close to the brokenhearted. And I can testify to this. For whenever circumstances in life would break me down, I can feel His presence around me. I can feel Him embracing me and looking upon me mercifully. When I cry out to Him about the pain I'm experiencing for whatever reason, He never fails to comfort me. He would pour out His blessings afterwards and I know that it is Him who is bringing those events into fruition. The way He gives comfort and compassion is far greater than anyone can imagine. We sometimes wish for things to happen in our life that would have been better in contrast to the real things that are happening. However, God's way of making things better is far more greater than even our greatest wishes. He'd let us grow from the pain and be thankful for the blessings.
"Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, the LORD has forgotten me."
"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget, I will not forget you!" - Isaiah 49:13-15 - Praise the LORD for all the good things that He has done for us. He comforts his people. Most especially, He is compassionate to those who are afflicted.
This situation is not uncommon that just like Zion, we feel as though He has forsaken or forgotten us. This especially happens when bad things seem to be happening to us. We feel like He is not there for us. We keep praying for things to be better but it's though nothing is happening. We keep on stumbling. We keep on falling apart. We lost hope.
But see how God cares and remembers us! He even gives an analogy about a mother and her baby. That even if she forgets, God will not forget us. We all know that a mother's love for her baby is very great and it's very unlikely for a mother to forget her baby and have no compassion. But God's love is even greater than that. Although we may not fully understand what is happening in our lives, trust and believe in God that He is working in us for His will and purpose and for our salvation. "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." - Romans 5:5 -
Life is not perfect. Some circumstances in our life would happen that we do not want. We get disappointed and crushed once in a while because the things that are happening to us do not meet our expectations of how they are supposed to be.
"In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted you and you delivered them. They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed." - Psalm 22:4-5 -
But we know that we can trust God. For if we trust in Him, we will not be disappointed that He will always be there for us. We may become disappointed by life's events for we do not know the whole reason or purpose on why those have happened to us. But God works for the good of those who love him. We just have to trust in Him. This is where our trust, patience and hope in Him are tested. They are all for the glory of God that we continue to hope and trust in Him until eternal salvation comes for we know that when it comes to this spiritual gift, we will not be disappointed if we endure.
"Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed." - Isaiah 49:23 -
It is wonderful to know that God saves us from evil things. That He has compassion to His people. That he provides and promises us a world where we will no longer weep, experience hunger or thirst. He will never forget us and he will provide for us so that everyone will know that He is God--our Lord and Saviour. It is great to know that those who hope in Him will know that they will never be disappointed. Though life brings disappointments, God will not disappoint us. He has a plan for us and He is constantly making us into the person that He wants us to be--worthy of His promises for us. So that when we approach the throne of grace, we can approach Him with confidence.
"When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." - Matthew 19:25-26 -
This talks about the story of a rich young man who asked God what good thing he must do to get eternal life. In the eyes of men, it is gravely difficult to enter God's kingdom. But with God, all things are possible. If we follow Him wholeheartedly, He will provide for us and the Holy Spirit will work within us so that we will be Christ-like in everything that we are.
To follow God means to give up on everything that we have and obey His commandments. Somehow, it is very difficult to live a life like this. Especially for the rich people. Imagine, you have to sell all of your possessions and give to the poor. It would take a big leap of faith to do this. It's like martyrdom for God. It's fully trusting Him despite of having nothing at all. One person that I can think of who gave her life in serving the poor was Mother Teresa. But I really don't know much about her life. I know that she was a good person and that she was a person of God. Other than that, I have yet to meet a rich person who has given up all of his/her possessions in order to follow God and give to the poor. How difficult must it be to do that. Even I, who doesn't have that much, cannot comprehend or bring myself in to that kind of calling. It would take a lot out of me for me to do that. But just as the verse says, 'with God all things are possible'. If we pray and call out to Him, He will reveal His calling and purpose in us. He can make us do that. And then we will know and be assured of the gift of eternal salvation.
"Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"
"From childhood," he answered. "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
"If you can?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" - Mark 9:21-24 -
It all comes down to this, "With God, nothing is impossible." We just have to trust and believe in Him. When we get disappointed by life, know that God is working in us. We may not understand it, but we know that we can always trust and hope in Him. If we are filled with unbelief, we can pray to God about it so that we can overcome them.
"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you." - John 15:7 -
God's love for us is so great. It is the greatest love of all. For He loved us with a love that comes from the Father. And in turn, He commands us to love each other with this kind of love. And in so doing, whatever we ask of Him, it will be given to us. As long as the things that we ask of Him are for His glory and can benefit us as Christians.
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." - Ephesians 3:20-21 -
"Sustain me according to your promise, and I will live;
do not let my hopes be dashed." - Psalm 119:116 - God always sustain us according to His promise--which is eternal life. He is the one who sustains the hope within us. That despite of this world, we know that we can depend and hope on Him.
"For this is what the high and lofty One says--he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
'I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.'" - Isaiah 57:15 - God is near to those who are feeling despair. He is near to the lowly and contrite in spirit. He is there to listen and comfort them with His loving care. Despite of how high He is, He cares and loves us enough to be inside our hearts whenever we are in despair.
"Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you." - Jeremiah 32:17 - God is very powerful as he made the heavens and earth. How much more with the little worries that we have in this life? If we just lay them in front of the Lord, if we just offer them to Him, He will take care of them for us.
"So do not throw away your confidence; it will richly be rewarded." - Hebrews 10:35 -
This is the third time that I have read about being confident. This is not in terms of confidence about worldly matters, but rather, it is a spiritual confidence. To trust in Him and to confide in Him our lives and our existence. Despite of the circumstances we are facing, we have to be confident in God's power. For we know that we always go through and live on with Him by our side.
"O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption." - Psalm 130:7 -
Despite almost always feeling dejected, I put my hope in the LORD, for I know that He is always there for me and He cares for me. He is there for me when it seems like the circumstances of life is almost always bringing me down. He loves me when nobody can. He understands my heart and he always know how I feel. And when I cry out to Him, He always saves me from the depths of my despair. Although life will not always be sunny, I know for a fact that no matter what happens, He is always there by my side, rain or shine.
"Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear." - Isaiah 65:24 -
I learned that God is near to those who are feeling dejected. That even before you speak it out, he already knows how you feel and he gives you comfort much better than you imagined. You don't need to say the words because He has already heard what your heart is saying. He embraces you and looks upon you with love.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30 -
From this verse, it is very clear that Jesus Christ is a gentle and humble God. If we come to Him, He will give us rest. He is kind enough to offer His yoke upon us for it is easy and light. He humbles himself despite His stature as God. He made himself available even to the lowliest of the peoples.
To anyone who is weary and burdened by the daily troubles of life, seek Him first before anything else and He will give you comfort. Even if the circumstances will not change, He is there to constantly ease the pains in your heart and give you hope to live on for Him. "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." - Romans 8:26-27 -
When we feel weak, God's power is magnified in us. When we acknowledge our weaknesses, God is working in our lives and the glory is for Him for we know that when we do something that is beyond our abilities, He is the one who is doing it in us.
"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." - Hebrews 4:16
This is the second verse I have read that states to approach the throne of grace or God with confidence. What does it mean to approach Him with confidence? We no longer are ashamed to face him despite feeling guilty for our sins nor dejected because of life's circumstances for we know that God's grace and mercy abounds all things. We know that God provides. God's grace fills our lives whenever we feel guilty of our sins. God's mercy touches our lives whenever we feel crushed and dejected. We can face Him whenever we are weak for we know that the Holy Spirit is within us, helping us in every way for the glory of God.
"Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded...Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." - James 4:8, 10 -
I know long before that pain and suffering are there to humble oneself. I know life has been hard for someone like me but it makes me feel blessed to know that all those hard and tough roads I constantly face are not without results. I know it in my heart that those things helped me grow more closer to God for every time I feel dejected and worn out by the hardships life bring, I always try my best to call out to Him and He never fails to comfort and listen to me. Because of the constant struggles I'm facing, I am constantly yearning for His presence. And thus, whenever God would pour out His blessings to me, I'd receive it with joy and gratitude in my heart. And those pain and sufferings I have experienced would serve as reminders to always humble myself for every good thing comes from the Lord and not from thy own self.
"Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But God does not take away life; instead, he devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him." - 2 Samuel 14:14 -
I learned that God values our life despite of the things that we have done that produces guilt. He will do anything so that we will go back to Him when we are driven away with guilt.
"If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared." - Psalm 130:3-4 -
Lord, despite of all our sins, you have forgiven us already and you do not keep a record of wrongs.
The Lord is a forgiving God. We must learn to let go of unneeded guilt for we know that God has already forgiven us. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." - Romans 8:1-2 -
How blessed we are to know that through Jesus Christ, we are free from the law of sin and death. We are not condemned for God's Spirit lives in us and has covered all our sins.
"And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." - 1 Corinthians 6:11 -
Once we turn to God willingly, He washes and sanctifies us. He does not keep a record of our past wrong doings and we are being renewed each day of our lives so that we will grow closer to Him. He forgives us and puts hope in us. To keep on hoping in the Lord until the day comes. How immense and vast God's forgiveness is. That despite of all our sins and wrong doings in the past, if we turn to Him, He embraces us and covers us with love. Just like the prodigal son, after a life of wasting away, when we go to Him, He doesn't become angry or makes us go away, but instead, He runs back to us and celebrates because His lost child is now found. There is more rejoicing in heaven for one lost soul to return to God than many saints who are already in the Lord.
"In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence." - Ephesians 3:12 -
We have freedom and confidence to approach God despite of our sins because of these things. Because we know that God is a forgiving God who gives us hope in continually doing what is good in His eyes despite of past mistakes. Free from guilt and past sons and the confidence to go on because we know that God is with us.
"...let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." - Hebrews 10:22-23 -
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