I say struggles, cause indeed life is constantly happening, constantly enduring and continuous to go on as long as there is breath in my nostrils. This, of course is the life we live here on earth. I've been watching a series video entitled "The Truth Project" it has really made some great reminders and challenges in my life being a so called "Christian." And the question really strikes me most is the question "Do we really believe what we believe is really, really real?" It simply talks about our faith as seen in our Christian lives.
It poses a great challenge as we indeed live in this cursed earthly domain controlled by our enemy, Satan, who sends out fiery darts of lies and deceit. And saddest thing, we Christians even are trapped with these lies... Philosophies, knowledge, wisdom of men, tend to be part of that deceit, covering almost the Truth that we Christians should be placing our Faith and Trust.
But truthfully it is not a really easy task to continue living by faith. For even the Word of God declares, we are in a race... Everybody knows, a race is not an easy task. It requires endurance, patience, strength and all other else.
"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." (Heb. 12:1)
I think one of the greatest struggle a Christian usually has in terms of believing or trusting the Lord, esp. on these times is on how God provides, Jehovah Jireh (YHWH will provide). Well, that is because I struggle too in that area, and seeing other Christians too seem to struggle as well at this point. Yet, I wonder why we so easily struggle and that it seems we tend to never learn. Since I know that even at this moment, we continue to still live, breathing the free air that we breath, having able to also eat food and drink water, still the anxieties and worries often lurk in our minds. Why? Well, probably because we think much of our future, of what's next? Having not the power to control nor the ability to deal with future events of our lives. Probably also we desire things for our lives, have our own comfortable lives, less worries, enjoying the pleasure of having our families and being able to provide individual and family needs. These thoughts tend to be placed as our goal in life. I think it's simply the goal of being comfortable and satisfied in the earthly life that we live.
But if we tend to look at God's perspective and His goals for us, esp. as a Christian, we see a different view; A different perspective and too often we see a very narrow way, a way which we are scared of pursuing and taking... It's a place of discomfort, suffering, pain, enduring, etc... We often see the negative side, rarely do we see the positive side; the joy and complete satisfaction as being part of God's family; More than these are the promises of God that we hope for. Here requires or enters what we call "Faith".
From my standing point, esp. now that I have no means of income, I mean, I currently have no work and yet I continue to be mindful of the ministry and with all my own personal desires or plans, my Faith in the Lord often diminish. These are the times I have to seek God's Face and go to His Word. And Hebrews chapter 11 becomes my reminder and my rebuke.
Well, to give a better understanding and detail as to my situation, as I have said, I have currently no means of livelihood or job for earning money and saving for future plans. I actually quit my previous job, well? with many reasons, but perhaps the greatest reason was that I wanted to give more time in helping my father in his missions work. He is a local missionary and he has just turned 60. Even with his old and "evil days" state, I have seen how God has been using him greatly reaching out esp. to our fellow native people, the Ibalois and the Igorots, sharing them the gospel of Jesus Christ. And I want to greatly be part of that not just in finances. But it seems greater sacrifices have to be made for such a simple desire to be fulfilled. Makes me to the point of asking, "Am I really doing God's Will for my life?" With what I'm doing, people tend to see me pursuing the position or the call of being a pastor. And I ask indeed, "Am I?" I do not know for sure the answer to that, all I know is that I have the desire to serve my Lord Jesus Christ being called a "Christian". That of which I understand why we are called one, "following after Christ and/or the will of the Father". Like Jesus said when Mary and Joseph was looking for Jesus when He was still a young boy:
"And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" (Luke 2:49)
I believe that phrase Jesus said to His parents, gives me a realization that, that is also what we Christians should do, being adopted as sons and daughters in God's family. Sometimes I think the Christian perspective has been completely twisted and destroyed by the enemy. As I have been reminded by the videos I watched from the "The Truth Project." What do we really believe as Christians? and are we fulfilling that belief or faith? I believe that such twisted perspective is by reason that we are indeed living still under the system and the world of the enemy. We are behind enemy lines trying to figure what are our goals and directions in life, when from the very start the moment we received Jesus Christ our goal has already been set. But pressures and world views seem to diminish and fog that perspective. The cares of this life, the comfort and the pleasures, the "survival" kind of perspective... All these thinking has clogged our minds. How then indeed can we live in this world as Christians? If we pursue the things more than we pursue Christ, what's the point of being called a "Christian?" These are the questions that makes us struggle; what makes me struggle.
With all these things, God's Word becomes my refuge and my foothold. Reading through Hebrews 11 makes me understand and see how that even the great Bible Heroes of Faith continued to pursue and obey the Lord, knowing and keeping on the faith that there is far greater city, far greater promise to uphold and to hope for, even if it means not seeing the promise fulfilled in their life time. But fulfilled in God's time.
"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city." (Hebrews 11:13-16)
I do not know if I'm clear to what I'm saying or sharing in this post. But perhaps here is the deal. If we are called a Christian, our path indeed will be narrow and that "Faith in Christ" will always be our shield from the fiery darts of the enemy. We may be hit by the enemy, but our faith will endure to the end. For we know God's promises still is better than anything else. If we think, God's promise is lesser than our previous state (the unbelieving state), then surely such faith in Christ does not exist in our hearts. If we think God's promises are greater, then we ought to pursue Christ. Personally wise I know my struggles will not end, it will be a continues struggle at the last breath I have. But I have to continuing believing in God, placing my Trust in Him who has saved me from the eternal punishment of sin. Believing that my life is in His hand. Faith! The just shall live by Faith!
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