It is hard to walk each day with God at the centre of our lives. But, no matter what is happening Jesus walks with us always. Lately, more than once, I've been getting the sense that Jesus is with me. He sits in the passenger's seat when I'm driving, he walks beside me when I am walking on the streets. I've also started to notice the joy that is growing inside of my heart. I feel like I'm able to appreciate the ordinary (but wonderful!) things in my life more. I am more grateful and optimistic and I've stopped worrying about the future as much or pay too much attention to how I'm doing compared to others. And it's all because of God's grace. It's because that I've tried my hardest (no doubt with a lot of help from the Holy Spirit) to keep my eyes of God despite of circumstances of pain and ambivalence towards the feelings of my heart.
Strangely (and I just realized it now!) but interesting, it seems that the Spirit has helped me be able to analyze situations in my life, particularly the way I feel and respond to certain things, so that I am able to see things with more clarity and objectivity. Friends and I once had a conversation about whether or not we were more French or German - the French being ones who are more driven by (and perhaps, disorganized) feelings and who live more in the moment, the Germans being ones who are organized and driven. My roommate made a great insight that she thought I was German with the things and events in my life but French with my feelings - that I am not one able to organize my feelings well. Yet, through this whole experience God has given me this gift. It's as if I am more able to organize my feelings and know the source of why I feel the way I feel.
God's grace is all around us. I recognized a fellow grad student from the mining department at a Regent Public lecture the other night. Upon realizing that I was a Christian, she immediately asked me to go to coffee the next day as she had just become a Christian and had some questions. I wasn't at all prepared to answer her, or do I feel like I am spiritually mature enough to play the part of "question answer-er". However, I did pray for the Spirit to do its work. Before meeting her I went for a swim. While doing laps felt that with every dip under water, I was being baptised by the Holy Spirit. My mind of course, was thinking about God, as I was glad to have him be the one to occupy my thoughts :) I think the Spirit did its work because as I shared with my colleague I didn't feel a sense of awkwardnessa and there weren't any questions that I felt I couldn't answer. Everything just flowed out so naturally. Thanks God, another soul will be saved!
I'm reading an excellent book by Henry Nouwen called "In the Spirit", in which he reflects on how he tries to live each moment in God's loving spirit right here right now. Perhaps that's what gave me some inspiration to blog tonight. However, I feel that today's entry might be a little all over the place. But the bottom line is, I feel the spirit working in my life, in my heart. I noticed some changes in my way of thinking, my way of behaving, and most of all, I am able to Trust God more deeply and while in the midst of some difficulties, truly find God and his soul-filling joy.
Life is real, life is now, life is to be lived in God's spirit. Face the realities of life, the pains, dissappointments, and loneliness in your heart, knowing that through it all Christ is right there. Jesus doesn't want us to avoid pain, but to know that God himself has conqered death and he "Will not let us fall". Even though we want this cup taken away from us, His perfect will must be done. And in the end, we taste and see that the Lord is good!
Strangely (and I just realized it now!) but interesting, it seems that the Spirit has helped me be able to analyze situations in my life, particularly the way I feel and respond to certain things, so that I am able to see things with more clarity and objectivity. Friends and I once had a conversation about whether or not we were more French or German - the French being ones who are more driven by (and perhaps, disorganized) feelings and who live more in the moment, the Germans being ones who are organized and driven. My roommate made a great insight that she thought I was German with the things and events in my life but French with my feelings - that I am not one able to organize my feelings well. Yet, through this whole experience God has given me this gift. It's as if I am more able to organize my feelings and know the source of why I feel the way I feel.
God's grace is all around us. I recognized a fellow grad student from the mining department at a Regent Public lecture the other night. Upon realizing that I was a Christian, she immediately asked me to go to coffee the next day as she had just become a Christian and had some questions. I wasn't at all prepared to answer her, or do I feel like I am spiritually mature enough to play the part of "question answer-er". However, I did pray for the Spirit to do its work. Before meeting her I went for a swim. While doing laps felt that with every dip under water, I was being baptised by the Holy Spirit. My mind of course, was thinking about God, as I was glad to have him be the one to occupy my thoughts :) I think the Spirit did its work because as I shared with my colleague I didn't feel a sense of awkwardnessa and there weren't any questions that I felt I couldn't answer. Everything just flowed out so naturally. Thanks God, another soul will be saved!
I'm reading an excellent book by Henry Nouwen called "In the Spirit", in which he reflects on how he tries to live each moment in God's loving spirit right here right now. Perhaps that's what gave me some inspiration to blog tonight. However, I feel that today's entry might be a little all over the place. But the bottom line is, I feel the spirit working in my life, in my heart. I noticed some changes in my way of thinking, my way of behaving, and most of all, I am able to Trust God more deeply and while in the midst of some difficulties, truly find God and his soul-filling joy.
Life is real, life is now, life is to be lived in God's spirit. Face the realities of life, the pains, dissappointments, and loneliness in your heart, knowing that through it all Christ is right there. Jesus doesn't want us to avoid pain, but to know that God himself has conqered death and he "Will not let us fall". Even though we want this cup taken away from us, His perfect will must be done. And in the end, we taste and see that the Lord is good!
1 comment:
"Life is real, life is now, life is to be lived in God's spirit" - I love this line :) Thanks for sharing. Your entries are all very inspiring!
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