Aug 12th, 2021: Understanding Surprises

 

Sometimes we are delighted by surprises. Sometimes we are baffled by them. Life is full of surprises as we tell one another. We perceive something as a surprise because we didn't anticipate it. Sometimes we don't think we deserve it. It is a surprise because it is outside our control.


We are surprised by God because our imagination of what God can do is limited. We have not learned how to dream His dreams. Our struggles and fear limit our dreams. Sometimes we can't dream because we feel dead inside. Maybe we will dream better when we are free from our sorrow self.


We are surprised by God because we are afraid to ask. Sometimes we don't have the faith to do so. When a relationship is not meaningful, we are not quite sure what to expect. We don't always experience the essence of our relationships with God. When He decides to show up in our lives, we don't know how to respond.


We are surprised because we are fighting against His work within us. We act like a teenager who doesn't want mom or dad to help him (her) clean up the room. We don't want God to know who we are or what we are treasuring because He might not be in that picture. Cleaning up our souls is a messy exercise, and it brings about many surprises.



Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us. — Ephesians 3:20

Popular posts from this blog

Aug 31st, 2024: Confession

Image
Dealing with pain sometimes affects our ability and flexibility. A physiotherapist friend gave me a set of home exercises to help with that. They are simple yet intense at the same time. Dealing with our human brokenness sometimes affects our ability to see and hear God. Our commitment to spiritual disciplines must be at the core of our relationship with God. One of the disciplines I have been trying to embrace more fully is confession. It’s not just about recognizing where we have gone wrong; it’s about how we have chosen to live our lives independently from God. It’s about whether we truly want God to be part of our lives. The absence of meaningful confession will damage our freedom to experience intimacy with God. "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." - Proverbs 28:13
Read more

Sept 4th, 2024: Praying in Images

Image
It has been a rough few days. Living in immense pain does not allow us much energy to think about anything. I ended up praying in images, and not many words came out of my mouth. Most of the images were of people I know. God knew that I was praying for them as their faces came to my mind. I did not need to mention the circumstances or situations of their lives—He knows. My heart was at peace as I ended my days with these images. He will take care of my body, and I know this because I was able to get some sleep. Tomorrow is in His hands.
Read more

Oct 1st, 2022: Be With Those Who Suffer

Image
  Listening to a young woman who shared her experience of being raped repeatedly by a family member for over four years as a teenager made my heart ache. The man who did that was a leader of a church. He was imprisoned for seven months and released. He was her stepfather. Her mother chose to pick him over her after his release. Her life has changed forever. She had to go to a foster home. Her foster parents helped her with her restoration and her faith in God. Her supervisor at work asked me to see her because someone at work was inappropriate toward her. That triggered many emotions within her. I did not expect the story I heard from her. The meeting took longer than I thought, and it was toward the end of the day. She kept talking about her anger and the pain she felt when men treated her like a subject. I knew that the best I could do was to listen. She told me she had not been able to tell anyone as much as with me. God reminded me of the true calling of being a pastor.
Read more