Rejoice for God is good!

During the church camp and for a period after that, I was on spiritual high. All the worries that always nagged at me no longer seem to matter anymore. I was able to give all my problems to God and trust that He will take care of them. All this because my focus wasn’t on earning more money or some other worldly concern but on maintaining the closeness and the joy of experiencing God. But few days later, the usual emotions of day-to-day living started to seep in. Though I wasn’t back to square one, life doesn’t seem as victorious as it felt during the camp and the few days after. I felt worries and burdens tightening around my heart forcing out the sense of euphoria and victory I felt in my life few days ago. Mornings didn’t seem to be something to look forward to as opening my eyes meant opening them to a day of repetitive work and facing problems that have to be solved. I asked God why? There must be something to be learnt and maintained during the church camp. And God spoke.

James 1:11
For the sun comes up with a scorching heat and parches the grass; its flower falls off and its beauty fades away. Even so will the rich man wither and die in the midst of his pursuits.

Actually the basic principle in life to be happy is to live for God. If we were to live for any of these things; career, family, money, pleasure, we will never be always joyful. I mean these things do matter to us but what I mean is, if these are our main focus in life, we will never be happy. The only way to be happy is to live for God. Whatever position we are at in life, whether we have this or that, whether we don’t have this or that, we should have the basic understanding that it is natural for us to be joyful. For we have the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ.

Why then are we still not able to rejoice? We are so quick to be negative and slow to recognize the blessings in our life. When was the last time we felt immense gratitude for what He has already given us? Contrast this with ‘when was the last time we feel depressed about the lack of something that we yearn for but has not been given to us?’

If we live for God, it wouldn’t be so difficult to be joyful. If the purpose of our life is to glorify God, is to be His messenger of good news, His servant to be a source of blessing to others, our eyes will not be turned inwards to our own lives and we automatically stop seeing how pathetic we are because we don’t have this or that. Conversely, as we continuously share of His goodness to people around us, singing His praises, glorifying His name and sharing the gospel, we are constantly reminded of the blessings He has given to us. As we share the gospel, we are reminded once again of how we were slaves to sin and dead in our transgressions and the amount of love and grace God has on us to sacrifice His one and only Son to suffer and die for us on the cross so that we can be glorified and redeemed. When we are able to do that, there is really then nothing to be sad about but lots to rejoice about.

Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

If we do not follow the pattern of this world, but are transformed in our mind - that every breath we take is to live for God, then we will be able to test and gain experience and evidence of what His will is. His good, pleasing and perfect will. We no longer share with people by empty words that mean nothing when we say that becoming a Christian is the best thing that can happen to us, but we can say it with conviction and really mean it with our hearts.

Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

God also reassured me that whatever I’m concerned about, He is also concerned about. But I really need to realign my focus in life. Otherwise, I cannot genuinely claim to be a follower of Christ. I cannot genuinely claim to live for Christ when my emotions are still governed by my problems and worries. As I align my focus back to God, He can then mold me to Christ likeness, and all the other things will be given. Solutions will just come automatically by inspiration. I really don’t need to fret or to let matters hog my mind because as I look to Him, He will give me the best.

My mind is still undergoing the renewal process. I need to constantly remind myself that to live is to live for Him, and nothing else. I can’t fully understand yet, that’s why I keep falling back. But by faith I cling on and meditate on His words, that one day I will truly understand and be transformed. As I meditate on all that God has spoken to me in answer to that one question, I can truly feel it in my heart; God really is good!