Aug 4th, 2021: Motivation, Perseverance and Desire


"What everyone in the astronaut corps shares in common is not gender or ethnic background, but motivation, perseverance, and desire - the desire to participate in a voyage of discovery."

-- Ellen Echoa (First American Hispanic Astronaut)


The three words that stand out from this quote are motivation, perseverance, and desire. We can find these aspects of human existence expressed throughout the Scriptures.


Motivation is "the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way." Joshua 1:9 tells us that our motivation to be strong and courageous should be our trust in God wherever we go. Our true motivation in life is learning to follow the guidance of God. 


"Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord, your God is with you wherever you go." 


Perseverance is "persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success." James 1:12 reveals to us that success is receiving the crown of life. Achieving the ultimate success is about learning to receive the promise of life. It has to deal with the longing for the redemption of the world. 


"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."


Desire is "a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen." Matthew 5:6 tells us that our main desire is to be hungry and thirsty for righteousness. When we are doing that, our whole being will be satisfied. Just think what that desire can do for the world today.


"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."

 

Popular posts from this blog

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

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

May 18th, 2020: Why Forgiveness?

Image
  A young man called me last night and he was tormented by his relationship with his mother. It is not because she was a horrible mom. It was unresolved grief that is caused by his dad's suicide a few years ago. Emotionally, he blames parents for his father's death although he knows intellectually that it is not right. I knew the father a bit because his mother and her family came to see me for help when they first arrived in Canada. He was a brilliant physician and who was quite loved by people of a small northern town in Alberta. He was awkward in some ways and very uncomfortable in social conversations. This young man has had many conversations with me ever since the suicide. His father's death has been a major topic of our time together. Most of our conversation yesterday was about forgiveness. We were talking about forgiving people who never ask or haven't got a chance to ask us to forgive them. The question is whether we can forgive without being asked. His father...
Read more