"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
This is an often quoted verse, and it has brought comfort to many. But it can be easily misunderstood, when Christians think that God will always grant them all that their hearts desire. It may not seem very serious, but I believe there is a subtle belief in today's society that Christianity, or perhaps religion in general, is a means to an end. What can Christianity do for me? What can I gain from it? I would like to share what I feel this verse really means.
Imagine a jar that has to be filled with rocks, smaller pebbles, and sand. The logical way would be to put the rocks in first, then the pebbles, and finally fill up all the small spaces with sand. Fill it up with sand first, and you will never be able to get in the rocks.
People often think of Christianity, or religion in general, as just another "compartment" of life. Perhaps as a rock, or a pebble. That is why many people feel that they do not have time for religion, when the pace of life picks up, or that they are bored with it. I used to see it as a pebble in my earlier years as a Christian, a Sunday affair where I could sit quietly in prayer and draw strength and peace from God, as well as pray for others. Later it became more of a rock, when I began to serve in church, and did my quiet time regularly. But there were many areas of my life that remained untouched and segregated from Christ, though I found great joy in my relationship with God. He led me through some real difficult times.
But what I want to share is that I believe, and have tasted that, God has more in store for us. We may be perfectly happy putting God high up on our prioirity list. The more of ourselves we devote to Christ, the more He will touch and change our lives. But there is another step we can take. Why view our faith as a rock, or even a very big rock, when it can be the jar itself? Think of the most beautiful, breathtaking natural setting you can conjure in your mind. Soaring mountains, deep and dark valleys, winding rivers, all teeming with life. We can see our faith as a spectacular peak in that picture, or a rolling valley, or a majestic sunset. But I believe our faith is the whole picture and nothing less, with everything in our lives falling in place to create a masterpiece. A masterpiece that God has painted long before time. It's like a jigsaw puzzle- the individual pieces don't make sense on their own, but when together- voila!
I would not say all this if I have not experienced it, practically in my own life, by the grace of God. An example- all the years that I saw badminton as a means to prove myself, to achieve glory, my efforts always culminated in despair and defeat. For those who are closer to me you would know how much badminton has meant to me in my life. But when God taught me to rely on Him for strength and humbly give Him all the glory, everything finally fell in place. I don't know how God transformed me, only that He did. And I have never been as close to my teammates as I am now. For years I was never close to my family, and I struck mostly to my own interests, God forgive me. Now He has taught me to look beyond my own selfish interests, and now I love and cherish them more than ever. I viewed army as a thorn in my side, something that just had to be endured till the time came to pluck it out for good. But amazingly, God has shown me that even, even army has meaning and purpose in His plan- I have learnt to trust in Him more in the past three months than in my whole life. My faith is still weak. and I pray that the trials that are ahead in the next few months will strengthen me to face the tougher things that will come even later long after I have stripped off the green and brown. As an officer in the army, I have a duty to protect and serve the men under me, and their loved ones- a God-given calling, to all men.
I believe that when we learn to see everything in the light of God, and see them as parts of the abundant lives that He has planned for us, things just start falling in place. Did not God promise that we would be "filled with all the fulness of God"? Ephesians 3:19. "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist...For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell." Colossians 1:16-19. Jesus created every bit of us, and he rules over everything in our lives. From the seemingly mundane affairs like our hobbies and leisures, to our current endeavours, our relationships, and our future careers. Leave nothing untouched, submit all to Him. And God will make us all that we can and were meant to be.
"Give up yourself, and you will find your real self. Lose your life and you will save it. Submit to death, death of your ambitions and favourite wishes every day and death of your whole body in the end: submit with every fibre of your being, and you will find eternal life. Nothing that you have not given away will be really yours. Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead. Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin and decay. But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in." C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.
"I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things." Author Unknown
This is an often quoted verse, and it has brought comfort to many. But it can be easily misunderstood, when Christians think that God will always grant them all that their hearts desire. It may not seem very serious, but I believe there is a subtle belief in today's society that Christianity, or perhaps religion in general, is a means to an end. What can Christianity do for me? What can I gain from it? I would like to share what I feel this verse really means.
Imagine a jar that has to be filled with rocks, smaller pebbles, and sand. The logical way would be to put the rocks in first, then the pebbles, and finally fill up all the small spaces with sand. Fill it up with sand first, and you will never be able to get in the rocks.
People often think of Christianity, or religion in general, as just another "compartment" of life. Perhaps as a rock, or a pebble. That is why many people feel that they do not have time for religion, when the pace of life picks up, or that they are bored with it. I used to see it as a pebble in my earlier years as a Christian, a Sunday affair where I could sit quietly in prayer and draw strength and peace from God, as well as pray for others. Later it became more of a rock, when I began to serve in church, and did my quiet time regularly. But there were many areas of my life that remained untouched and segregated from Christ, though I found great joy in my relationship with God. He led me through some real difficult times.
But what I want to share is that I believe, and have tasted that, God has more in store for us. We may be perfectly happy putting God high up on our prioirity list. The more of ourselves we devote to Christ, the more He will touch and change our lives. But there is another step we can take. Why view our faith as a rock, or even a very big rock, when it can be the jar itself? Think of the most beautiful, breathtaking natural setting you can conjure in your mind. Soaring mountains, deep and dark valleys, winding rivers, all teeming with life. We can see our faith as a spectacular peak in that picture, or a rolling valley, or a majestic sunset. But I believe our faith is the whole picture and nothing less, with everything in our lives falling in place to create a masterpiece. A masterpiece that God has painted long before time. It's like a jigsaw puzzle- the individual pieces don't make sense on their own, but when together- voila!
I would not say all this if I have not experienced it, practically in my own life, by the grace of God. An example- all the years that I saw badminton as a means to prove myself, to achieve glory, my efforts always culminated in despair and defeat. For those who are closer to me you would know how much badminton has meant to me in my life. But when God taught me to rely on Him for strength and humbly give Him all the glory, everything finally fell in place. I don't know how God transformed me, only that He did. And I have never been as close to my teammates as I am now. For years I was never close to my family, and I struck mostly to my own interests, God forgive me. Now He has taught me to look beyond my own selfish interests, and now I love and cherish them more than ever. I viewed army as a thorn in my side, something that just had to be endured till the time came to pluck it out for good. But amazingly, God has shown me that even, even army has meaning and purpose in His plan- I have learnt to trust in Him more in the past three months than in my whole life. My faith is still weak. and I pray that the trials that are ahead in the next few months will strengthen me to face the tougher things that will come even later long after I have stripped off the green and brown. As an officer in the army, I have a duty to protect and serve the men under me, and their loved ones- a God-given calling, to all men.
I believe that when we learn to see everything in the light of God, and see them as parts of the abundant lives that He has planned for us, things just start falling in place. Did not God promise that we would be "filled with all the fulness of God"? Ephesians 3:19. "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist...For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell." Colossians 1:16-19. Jesus created every bit of us, and he rules over everything in our lives. From the seemingly mundane affairs like our hobbies and leisures, to our current endeavours, our relationships, and our future careers. Leave nothing untouched, submit all to Him. And God will make us all that we can and were meant to be.
"Give up yourself, and you will find your real self. Lose your life and you will save it. Submit to death, death of your ambitions and favourite wishes every day and death of your whole body in the end: submit with every fibre of your being, and you will find eternal life. Nothing that you have not given away will be really yours. Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead. Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin and decay. But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in." C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.
"I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things." Author Unknown
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