To keep a promise to myself: a list

To keep a promise to myself:

Some of the things I’ve been telling myself lately…so that I would be reminded to practice and heed. It's called w-i-s-d-o-m

• Think before you speak. Be very careful with the words you choose… something that I learned from my teacher and of course from the handbook of life: The tongue has the power of life and death.
• Listen…at all times. Listen and try to understand. Never assume (it makes an -a-s-s- out of -u- and -m-e) anything as obvious. Don’t walk out. Don’t stray…Better said – LISTEN.
• Act in love (not in-love). The world needs love. *how can you give what you do not have? Experience the love of God. Seek Him and be intimate with Him. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you.
• Plan. Schedule your day. That way, you get the most out of it.
• Humble yourself. Listen to the advices of others. Be teachable. Consider others better than yourself. Obey. Swallow your pride.
• Tell your parents how much you appreciate them. TELL and not just “show". Oh, and telling only will not do...honor :)
• Get some sleep. You need at least 7 hours to function well.
• Stay happy and remember God in all your ways. To him be all the glory

Remember goodness

[The context, which you can skip] For the past few days, I have been grieving for what might seem to be petty things for many. No matter how I try to get myself busy with other concerns, the events that had happened continue to haunt me, as if it were terrible. I wallow in regret, blame and pity even if for every second I know there is no sense to it. I know that nothing is accomplished in thinking about it, but somehow I do not seem to believe enough. It seemed like I was going to be forever bewildered by what I had mentioned as petty...

...Now, what I do is sing songs, and remember goodness. It is not always the case for me to be swayed into the mood of my attempted adulation, and when I say this I mean it, but… it is not always a failure. And when one does see the victory there is to it, admiration and gratefulness is inevitable. One begins to understand why gratitude in prayer would suffice. One can only weep at grace and mercy encountered. Whereas one once grieved because of thought that she deserved better, she now weeps because she knows she does not deserve any. How magnificent is grace. How magnificent is the revelation that everything that God allows to happen, He does and wills because He loves (and he loves deeply).

Consider it loss

What are some of the things that you have lost, cried over and didn’t want to face another day because of the pain and hurt? I used to always ask God what the purpose of losing something or someone is because it seemed like nothing good is in it except that you LOSE SOMETHING. Often times He tells me that it is to see what you value, what you give importance to and time for and also that all that really deserves much attention is Him. In other instances, there are more. It’s always difficult to move on knowing that some things are not going to be the way they were, but the grace of God is always sufficient. It’s true that you can’t make it on your own and that you can’t seem to be able to do the things you have to because you need God to be with you and to help you through it.

How about the things you haven’t lost? Things you value the most and would die in pain if you lost them, things you can’t live without…

"What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ." (Philippians 3:8)

Are you willing to consider everything, including these, as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ?

The most concrete association I’d give for the phrase ‘consider it loss’ would be a lost pen. I consider a pen lost because (1) I do not anymore have it with me; (2) I no longer have control over it; (3) there is no way I am getting it back/ am ever gonna find it. The same goes with everything we consider loss before God, including problems, burdens, sins, unforgiveness, relationships, finances, etc. It’s like submission, or maybe one way to put it.

(1) When you submit, you are fully letting go and giving whatever you’re submitting to God. For example, when you submit a paper, you don’t just show the paper, let the teacher read though it and then get it back. No, you give it. Meaning, it is no longer in your hands. I like the way Paul put it because then one cannot acknowledge possession.

(2) When you submit, you no longer have control over what you have submitted. How can you, when it is no longer with you? Does this mean you don’t have control? Absolutely not, because you let God be in control. Going back to the paper example…when you submit a paper, you allow the teacher or whoever to do anything he/she wants with it – write on it, publish it, or even throw it away. The same goes with anything you submit to God. You allow him to move in those areas.

(3) “There is no way I am getting it back” – the very thing that triggers someone to consider something as loss. You finally believe that it is lost and that it can never be found, or that someone has already taken it from you. You are certain (and hopeless, if it is something really valuable) that it is never coming back to you. Well, that’s the way it is when we submit things to God. He deals with it and He doesn’t want you to believe it is ever coming back. He tosses sins as far as from east to west. He makes your heart new. His mercies are new every morning. He enables us to forgive. He restores relationships. He teaches us generosity that He might be the one to provide abundantly. You don’t have to deal with what you have given to God anymore because it is taken care of, and if ever you do, you have the Mightiest just beside you.

Note that Paul put it as consider it loss and not lose ‘em all. God revealed Himself to him in a great way that he was able to consider everything as nothing. I hope we all get to know God in a great way. Always, you’ll realize that all you need is God =) and the point is to get to know Him. To finish, I’d like to post the same question as above:

Are you willing to consider everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ?

Grace every second

Who’s to blame whenever we never get to do the things we’re supposed to or the things we want to?

One theory states that, “no else is to be blamed but me”. Of course, I have control over my actions, and I can decide for myself whether to do things or not (and actually do them or not). Temptation and external factors are common but ultimately I am in control of my fate.

Another theory states that, “no, it’s not my fault”. I have only been deceived, tricked to not be what I’m supposed to be, that matter-of-factly my heart is good (because Christ dwells in it). It goes on saying that I must not think negatively of my heart (or myself) ‘coz that would draw me apart from being my best.

Well, both are true, and I can’t help but be unsure of which to believe. Like for example, I lost my cell phone. Should I believe that I am irresponsible, careless or taking for granted the things given me? or must I refuse to accept these negative thoughts and believe that they are but lies and attacks of the enemy? Again, I am confused because for me, both are true (or so I believe them to be).

Now to my point…I believe the issue here is not whose fault it is, or whether I’ve been good or bad. In fact, why should I be blaming anyone? The issue here is whether I would allow such a happening to confuse me/consume me/destroy me or will I just let it go – and put my life and time and energy on other things which deserve more of my time.

I speak to myself: If you weren’t able to do what you’re supposed to do then do them now, or if you have not been able to do things the way you should have, then do not make the same mistakes.

Whatever you did – even if you did it just a second ago – does not matter anymore. We are transformed already by the grace of God, and God transforms us by the second. Don’t look back and wonder just what had happened or just what you did, move on and focus on the greater things that God has in store for you.

God wants you to enjoy each and every second of your life. Your heart matters to him, that’s the reason why he doesn’t want it to be filled with negative thoughts/ emotions. He wants it to be filled with joy, love and a sense of fulfillment and you can only have that when you have stopped dwelling on the past – that means even a second ago – and start moving on, knowing that there are greater things ahead of you. =)

Note: I believe in the second theory more. Btw, if it isn't obvious (for those who have read the book), the second theory is from "Waking the Dead" by John Eldredge.

I need help, will someone care to listen?

Sounds familiar? Ever heard yourself say this? You’re not alone. Thousands of people are crying this out. Yet somehow they don’t get the help they need. They just don’t come upon someone close to them and say this. Even if they have best friends, they just don’t blurt it out. Like most people, they don’t get help they need because they don’t ask.

BUT HOW MANY OF US ASK SOMEONE TO LISTEN? Some of us do, but usually people don’t. People don’t ask because they don’t want to appear helpless and desperate. They don’t know who’s going to listen, if ever someone is going to listen. They expect their best friends to come to them and ask if they’re okay, to notice that something’s not right, to care and bother asking. BUT SAD THING IS THEY DON’T.

Often times, people around them are busy trying to fix their own lives. They have their own burdens to deal with, school stuff, and extra-curricular activities killing them. They’re busy trying to make the most out of life(but usually don't get the life they want). They’re HURTING TOO. They also need help, and they also expect people who know them well to listen to their concerns, including those who deep inside are crying out for help.

In short, EVERYONE IS DYING TO BE HEARD. It’s not that they’re shouting and no one is listening, it is that they’re longing for someone to care. Every person longs to be understood, comforted and lifted from burdens. People yearn for people to listen to them, and to understand them not only through the words they speak, but also through their body language and tone of voice, sensitive to what they are really saying.

But we ourselves do not seek to understand others.

We think we know it all (too well). We think we understand, but fact is we don’t. We don’t because we do not listen. We don’t because we’re occupied with out own problems, blinded by our own perceptions, and deafened by our own judgments. WE DON’T LISTEN.

We’ve had much similar cases, tons of friends sharing the same thing, speaking of the same problem, and we think we know the story. We think we know the problem, but we don’t. WE DON’T UNDERSTAND. WE NEED TO LISTEN. This poem from a book perfectly illustrates what I’m trying to say.

PLEASE LISTEN 

When I ask you to listen to me 

and you start giving me advice, 

you have not done what I asked. 

When I ask you to listen to me 

and you begin telling me why 

I shouldn’t feel that way 

you are trampling on my feelings. 

When I ask you to listen to me 

and you feel you have something 

to solve my problem, 

you have failed me, 

strange as it may seem. 

Listen! All I ask is that you listen. 

Don’t talk or do – just hear me

So PLEASE, LISTEN!

Perfect Lover

God is not just a friend or Father, He is also a lover and He is sooo in love with us. He is captivated by our beauty. He longs to do things for us, to make us feel special and like a princess because He loves us so. He loved us first. We now know of love because He showed us first. We now are captivated.

If we too are inasmuch captivated and awe-inspired by all that He is, how does it show in our lives? Are we constantly excited and "kilig to death" with what He might possibly do/ offer for us or are we blinded by our other desires - seeking love or security from other things or people that we already have with Him?

Lord, I pray that everyday I'd be excited and happy and secured knowing that you love me so. You are the perfect lover.

To Do List

I asked myself,

• "What do you want to finish today?"
• "What do you want to finish this week?"
• "What do you want to finish this month?"

and came up with this list:

• Today: SA, History, Accounting
• This week: Filipino exam/ paper, draft of History paper, exercises
• This month: Save up for shoes, bring someone to YOF, other projects

Indeed, our activities and desires reflect our relationship with God. Everyday, we seek Him and His ways and always claim that He is the reason for all. Yes He has affected us greatly, but is that affection great enough for us to forget about ourselves and focus on Him completely? Indeed these three questions -and answers- reveal  much about who we are and what we live for. What matters - more than desiring, connecting or pointing to glorifying God - is indeed, glorifying him - bearing his image.

God desires for his people to be so overwhelmed with Him to the point of complete trust and submission to him. Check out the things you want to do, are these what God truly wants for your life? Is this gonna lead you to where God wants you to be?

Amazed

…the only One who knows me, my feelings, desires, grief, pain, joy, and everything else about me. There is nothing I can hide from Him. Sometimes…I cannot help but feel senseless, worthless, stupid…or think of many negative thoughts. I still can’t hide them and God is grieved. But even if I feel that way, God is faithful. I know He is faithful even during those times. I just don’t believe.

“What is happening in your life?” Is it something that causes your spirit to be embittered? (Ps 73:21) Recall at all you have been through and how God has been there for you, how He came to your rescue. Remember that He is with you and He’s the only one you’ve got (Ps 73:23,25). Your spirit will be lifted up and you will believe more…and even with that little faith you’ve got, God will be pleased and you can be certain that everything will be alright.

(More) These circumstances will shape you and mold you more into His likeness. As you continue to have more of those, you can look back again and be in faith. What’s great is God is glorified and your life will be more in praise of Him. Also, you will be used to increase the faith of those who are in the same situation. All these shouldn’t cause us to turn to something else or someone else after, but to God only, to whom all glory and honor is due.

I can never make myself pure and holy (Ps 73:13) but God can. Jesus has given Hs righteousness and we need not strive. When we put everything in God’s hands and believe in all that He can do in our lives, the righteousness part will just show. It is an unconscious by-product of our devotion to God. It is an inheritance we received from God through Jesus. Thank God!