lifesong
Everyone needs compassion
Love that's never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Saviour
The hope of nations
Saviour, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave
So take me as you find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender
Shine your light in
Let the whole world see
We're singing, for the glory
Of the risen King
Jesus, Shine your light in
Let the whole world see
We're singing for the glory
Of the risen king
Friday, July 30, 2004
-9:13 pm
Hurray! :) I actually am blogging continuously recently. This is a real record, haha. Okay, anyways that not the real point of my post; just a side line. I want to talk about... *drumroll* God. This entry is going to be quite philosophical (RGS peeps you'll recognise the use of the concept Reality vs. Experience). Yup, I've once had a friend who asked me "How can you be sure that God is real? How do you believe with so much faith that He will answer your prayers?" My answer to that is that you have to really experience the power of God's love and blessings in your life before you can truly believe in Him with your whole heart. But the prerequisite of that is first faith- not blind faith, but faith that you know someone is out there, someone who created the world, created you and me, and is keeping the world rotating on it axis, even if you don't exactly know who it is. You know, deep down in your soul, that it is not just plain coincidence that sometimes things just turn around suddenly with a rhyme or reason when it seems to bleak and hopeless; it also seems as though someone's watching over you with the power to make things work for your good.
I am willing to share a part of my past as a testimony to how God has worked in my life. I experienced quite a dark period last year, during term 3, when I was slipping into depression and getting really anxious about stuff. It got so bad that I was despairing, dragging myself through everyday and I remember feeling so hopeless and upset, for reasons I know not of. Everything just seemed too much for me to handle, and that was when I just gave up- I stopped believing in myself. Strangely enough, at that time, I didn't really think of turning to God. I suffered from insomia every night, taking hours to fall asleep and sometimes not even sleeping for the entire night. I suppose I was afraid- I had so much fear that if I fell asleep, I wouldn't wake up in time to finish the homework that was left over. I had to take two weeks off school after things fell into a state where I wasn't a normal functioning human anymore, more like a sleep-deprived zombie without a will to live.
I suppose I was really emotionally dry and strained during those days. I needed a release of fresh emotions because I have become so unfeeling and unresponsive. The breakthrough came when my dad took time off to keep me company. He shared with me some bible verses about God's love for me, and verses that addressed my present problems. There were verses about anxiety:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to the Lord. And the peace of God, that transceneds all human understanding, will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7
"I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."
-Psalms 4:8
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you; When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned the flames will not set you ablaze." - Isiah 43:2
These verses sort of broke the dam inside me and brought a release of tears; I cried when I finally saw the light upon my suffering. I felt God's presence there beside me and I knew that the battle was over- God was on my side and He truly cared for me. I understood that I too can be victorious over whatever I feared because I am God's child- perfect love casts out all fear. I began a fast recovery from there and moved on with my life, living in renewed faith, passion and hunger for the true living God who has brought me through the turmultous storms. God had a purpose in all these: He put me through the trial so that I would emerge stronger, and be reminded of God's power at work in my life. He's the one in control, not me. I may want my life to go one way, but God says no, that's not the right path to take. I suppose that was also a redirection of the way my life's going and putting things in perspective when I see the big picture.
I am using my life's testimony to encourage you if you are a new believer or am searching for an answer just like many of my friends are, I believe. Know that God loves every single one of you and you can find the way to your Heavenly Father. I know that He is the Way, the Truth and the Light and therefore I am confident and secure in my position and God's child. I now am living a more purpose-driven and fufilled life because growing in God has allowed me to do so. Attending the Youth min @ Trinity Christian Centre - Passion! Ministry- has cultivated my spiritual growth and empowered me to reach new heights in my relationship with God. I live for God, and want to be the light and salt of the world. My school is my platform to win souls for God's glory and to see our youth generation rise up as the Elijahs in our societies, daring to stand up for what we believe in and fight for it. I truly believe that we Chrisitian youths can make a difference- impacting our generation to change the world. Rock on Passion! Min!
God will turn a test
into a testimony
A victim
into a victor
And a trial
into a triumph.
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