My journey...
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Spiritual Dryness
Sometimes we experience a terrible dryness in our spiritual life. We feel no desire to pray, don't experience God's presence, get bored with worship services, and even think that everything we ever believed about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is little more than a childhood fairy tale. Then it is important to realise that most of these feelings and thoughts are just feelings and thoughts, and that the Spirit of God dwells beyond our feelings and thoughts. It is a great grace to be able to experience God's presence in our feelings and thoughts, but when we don't, it does not mean that God is absent. It often means that God is calling us to a greater faithfulness. It is precisely in times of spiritual dryness that we must hold on to our spiritual discipline so that we can grow into new intimacy with God.
Henri Nouwen Society
That is exactly how I have been feeling. But it is so difficult to hold on. Not knowing what to do. The other day I remember being led to read 2 Chronicles 3 and tears just flowed. It talks about building the temple of God and it was like God is saying to me that He is making me like that temple. Laid with gold and gem stones. A beautiful place where God Himself will reside. Others will see the beauty of the temple. This is the hope and the encouragement that keeps me going. That He is doing a work in my life.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Titus Brandsma
Titus Brandsma wrote while a prisoner in Danchau concentration camp
"Leave me freely all alone,
In cell where never sunlight shone,
Should no one ever speak to me,
This golden silence makes me free."
He understood that even through suffering, the presence of God was there with him.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Loving One Another
More than a few months ago, I was just talking to a friend who is wanting to leave our church. I asked him why and this was his reply "I need to go and get myself sorted out first and then come back." I was dumb founded. Get yourself sorted out? Isn't then church the place for you to do that? With people who "supposedly are your friends"? Over and over again, I hear statement that the church won't accept me. I am too "screwed" up. I do not want to go to church cause they will judge me.
This is such a sad picture. People has view church as this "holy" place for the pure and "elite". As long as you know how to act and dress and talk. You are ok. Do not matter if you are in pretense. Ephesians 4:32 says "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you". Ephesians 5:19 writes "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against each other. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." 1Thessalonians 5:11 says "Encourage one another and build each other up." What happened to the church? Why is it that when one is in trouble, the church is the last place they would want to go?
Have we been too much of a "purity" police? Judged with our actions? Though we have not said it out loud? Do people feel intimidated or pressured to have to act a certain way?
Me being part of the church was guilty as charged. I was very upset at a certain individual who made a big fuss about getting financial gain for a certain ministry work that she did. I was upset because we are all volunteers. This is God's work. I complained to one of the leaders and he said "Have you ever thought that she is in great financial trouble?" I looked at the situation, he looked at the heart. The person mattered more than any rules or regulations that we have set. Any structure that we try to upkeep.
Jesus said, "A new commandment I give unto you; Love one another. As I have loved you, love one another."
This is such a sad picture. People has view church as this "holy" place for the pure and "elite". As long as you know how to act and dress and talk. You are ok. Do not matter if you are in pretense. Ephesians 4:32 says "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you". Ephesians 5:19 writes "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against each other. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." 1Thessalonians 5:11 says "Encourage one another and build each other up." What happened to the church? Why is it that when one is in trouble, the church is the last place they would want to go?
Have we been too much of a "purity" police? Judged with our actions? Though we have not said it out loud? Do people feel intimidated or pressured to have to act a certain way?
Me being part of the church was guilty as charged. I was very upset at a certain individual who made a big fuss about getting financial gain for a certain ministry work that she did. I was upset because we are all volunteers. This is God's work. I complained to one of the leaders and he said "Have you ever thought that she is in great financial trouble?" I looked at the situation, he looked at the heart. The person mattered more than any rules or regulations that we have set. Any structure that we try to upkeep.
Jesus said, "A new commandment I give unto you; Love one another. As I have loved you, love one another."
