Friendship's About The Crux?...Make The Most of Life before It Passes You By
Well, I got to be honest, last week was far from perfect and by the end of the past week I was really feeling quite down again, but I mean, I wasn’t brooding over anything and I was just of course as a natural human reaction not feeling good about not so good stuff that went on last week. Having said that, I’m still trusting in the Lord, except I probably got to admit, I wasn’t totally able to live up to the “joy despite circumstances” motto that I have for myself. There were two things which concerned me last week, which I’m still pondering much about until today I guess. Of course, by this week I guess, I’m feeling better. If its proof of anything, I’m already much happier than before, and its all thanks to God and His faithfulness to me.
Last week, two main issues affected me as I guess has been the two things that have bugged me throughout my time at ACJC, and that is about friendship and making the most of the life that God has given me, which I’m wondering if perhaps isn’t actually part of truly what it means to live life to the fullest for God’s glory. I feel as if since I don’t really have true friendships and that I’m not really living out my life fully in the sense that I’m not really having the complete experience in life, for the most part I feel like I’m missing on life.
Firstly, about the whole friendship thing again, last week, I realised that perhaps there really isn’t the need for me to feel that friendship is something that’s sorely lacking in my life. The last month, I’ve been happier coz God made me realise that the most important thing is my relationship with Him, coz after all God is the greatest friend. I realise that even though I don’t have that many friends, to follow God we have to be willing to put aside the many things and people we hold dear, although I’m not saying that we have to give up and not care about people and things we hold dear to our hearts, but God must come first before anything. Also, I know that if we seek first the kingdom of God, then all these things shall be added unto you. If we were to have nothing in this world but have a relationship with God, in the end that’s all that matters. So, I trust in the Lord’s plans for me, and that He knows best and will provide me with all I need. Sometimes, I may still worry if I’m doing all I can to make friends and touch the lives of people around me, but well, I guess, I’ll keep trying and ask God if there’s anything more I need to do. With that, I was determined to be contented and have a joy no matter what circumstance I was facing. But, as much as most of the past week until now, there were mostly times where I was alone and feeling lonely but of course there were a few moments which were slightly better. However, it was another change in what I realise is probably friendship. The last week, we had the photo shoot for our class, then, we had to have it at the new CPA in ACJC, so we had to croos over to the other building which required me to manoeuvre through narrow walkways and of course STAIRCASE!!!...Seriously, you’d wonder why we spend so much money on the CPA yet there isn’t any handicap access. But, the guys in class like helped to carry my the chair over. And, when we had to return, it was raining and they sed their jackets to cover the battery and helped carried it back again.This incident, made me perhaps think that maybe friendship could just be about the times of greatest need and at the crux of any situation. Just like our teacher mentioned when we are in need, that is when we see who our true friends are, and we see also who are the ones that are not the true friends. Well, it could just be because of the obligation to do so but perhaps untrue friends don’t even help even if there’s an obligation to do so. I really had to ask myself, is friendship about spending all that time together, chatting, going out, hanging out, having fun together or just always being there. Its hard for me to know if it was true friendship in that help coz there was absolutely no way out of there for me. Maybe its just the situation that just makes it difficult for me to truly have friends, in the other sense of the word. Of course, I know its true that the people around me could be better to me and I too could be a better friend, I mean, not leaving me alone all the time but, its kinda strange coz I don’t get involved enough for it to be a natural thing for me not to be spending my time alone. Perhaps at times, I still wished anyone would ever care to know me better, coz it seems for the most part that there isn’t any interest for me to be part of any group of people, and I hardly ever spend time with anyone but myself. But, I guess, I’m trusting that the Lord will give me friends to rely on and I guess, I can just rest assured that at the crucial moments there’ll be people there. At least, when it matters I can probably still can find friends, and maybe in some sense I still have friends.
Now, for the more recent thoughts about living life to the fullest and living for God’s glory, and perhaps my fear that I’m not doing enough. I guess a good way to sum up my feelings is that, I don’t know if I’m making the most of my life, coz really, I don’t want to waste one single second, minute, hour, month or year. I mean, life is all about the five things as I always say worship, fellowship, discipleship, Evangelism and Ministry, which under one category is living for God’s glory. But, I’m not sure if that involves serving God and enjoying all of the life that He has given us, in that I’m not sure if God intends for us to experience life fully in terms of enjoying our life with holidays, outings, sport, hobbies, music, passions, leisure, entertainment, fun, experiences, talents, dreams, hopes and once-in-a-lifetime stuff. Its true that God wants us to enjoy our lives too but of course as long as God is first place in our hearts. But, my issue is not in that I can’t distinguish that but is in that if I’m not enjoying all that I can out of life, am I then not living the life God intends for each and everyone of us. Does it matter if, all my life I never got to experience the good things in life, and I don’t just mean material things but more of what I mean, is are those invaluable experiences of life, like enjoying the best the world has to offer, in like seeing the world, having tasted the life God has richly blessed us with. Life is about living for God glory and pleasure, and to praise him. I know that with Jesus Christ in the driving seat, I am self-sufficient in Christ. As long as we do what we do for God’s glory it does not matter what we do, we would have lived life to the fullest for God’s glory. But, we must do all 5 purposes, and the rest does not matter. But, what about experiencing all that life brings? Am I living the way God wants us to live? God’s glory is the five things which is living life to the fullest. Is enjoying your life fully part of God’s purpose for our lives? To live life to the fullest for God’s glory means living out all the purposes God has for our lives to the best of our ability. Why would I feel I want to do more with My life? To make the most of the life that God has given me. Life is to serve God and enjoy life as much as possible. Our goal is God’s glory, and to achieve it, we are to live fully for the purposes he has given us for our lives. If we are not enjoying our lives to the best of our ability or as much as possible, will we not be living life completely as God intended for us. Purpose of life is to live for God’s glory? What does this encompass? Everything that is done for God’s glory. Is living life to the fullest part of God’s purpose for our lives? Yes God wants us to make the most of what He has given us just as the story of the talents. So what does this mean? Do everything for God’s glory. Is there more I need to do in my life? I guess, we cannot really put a value to our lives in God’s grand scheme of things. God values each of us so no matter how good or how bad we think ourselves, God loves us all the same, great contribution or small contribution. Am I making the most of what I’ve got to glorify the Lord? “What profits a man if he gains the world but loses his soul?” “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.” Means I probably need not do more. But how much is in our hands and how much is in the Lord’s. We are supposed to use every aspect of life for God’s glory. But just coz someone else does more in life does not make that person any better? I guess its just about following where God leads, whatever we do its part of God’s plan. My main concern is if I’m enjoying life as much as I can and serving, worshipping, growing and fellowshipping as much as possible for God’s glory. I guess, in the end its about living every single second of my life for God’s glory that matters most, no matter what we have done. I mean, make the most of life and serve God in all that we do before life slips away, that’s all I wanna do, which ultimately leads to bringing of glory to God.
Lord, you are so great. All I need is you alone, nothing else. Help Lord not to be discontented with my life, coz sometimes I feel like there’s more I can get out of life, but help me to trust your plan and know that although its good and you want us to enjoy our lives, that what matters most is how I’ve served you and how I have glorifed your name in all that I do. That alone ensures that I have lived life fully and well, and made the most of my life on this earth. Grant me peace in my heart Lord and joy in all circumstances forever and ever Lord, and to glorify your name in all that I do, so that I may shine for you Lord. I love you Lord with all my heart, and all my mind and all my soul. Amen.
Last week, two main issues affected me as I guess has been the two things that have bugged me throughout my time at ACJC, and that is about friendship and making the most of the life that God has given me, which I’m wondering if perhaps isn’t actually part of truly what it means to live life to the fullest for God’s glory. I feel as if since I don’t really have true friendships and that I’m not really living out my life fully in the sense that I’m not really having the complete experience in life, for the most part I feel like I’m missing on life.
Firstly, about the whole friendship thing again, last week, I realised that perhaps there really isn’t the need for me to feel that friendship is something that’s sorely lacking in my life. The last month, I’ve been happier coz God made me realise that the most important thing is my relationship with Him, coz after all God is the greatest friend. I realise that even though I don’t have that many friends, to follow God we have to be willing to put aside the many things and people we hold dear, although I’m not saying that we have to give up and not care about people and things we hold dear to our hearts, but God must come first before anything. Also, I know that if we seek first the kingdom of God, then all these things shall be added unto you. If we were to have nothing in this world but have a relationship with God, in the end that’s all that matters. So, I trust in the Lord’s plans for me, and that He knows best and will provide me with all I need. Sometimes, I may still worry if I’m doing all I can to make friends and touch the lives of people around me, but well, I guess, I’ll keep trying and ask God if there’s anything more I need to do. With that, I was determined to be contented and have a joy no matter what circumstance I was facing. But, as much as most of the past week until now, there were mostly times where I was alone and feeling lonely but of course there were a few moments which were slightly better. However, it was another change in what I realise is probably friendship. The last week, we had the photo shoot for our class, then, we had to have it at the new CPA in ACJC, so we had to croos over to the other building which required me to manoeuvre through narrow walkways and of course STAIRCASE!!!...Seriously, you’d wonder why we spend so much money on the CPA yet there isn’t any handicap access. But, the guys in class like helped to carry my the chair over. And, when we had to return, it was raining and they sed their jackets to cover the battery and helped carried it back again.This incident, made me perhaps think that maybe friendship could just be about the times of greatest need and at the crux of any situation. Just like our teacher mentioned when we are in need, that is when we see who our true friends are, and we see also who are the ones that are not the true friends. Well, it could just be because of the obligation to do so but perhaps untrue friends don’t even help even if there’s an obligation to do so. I really had to ask myself, is friendship about spending all that time together, chatting, going out, hanging out, having fun together or just always being there. Its hard for me to know if it was true friendship in that help coz there was absolutely no way out of there for me. Maybe its just the situation that just makes it difficult for me to truly have friends, in the other sense of the word. Of course, I know its true that the people around me could be better to me and I too could be a better friend, I mean, not leaving me alone all the time but, its kinda strange coz I don’t get involved enough for it to be a natural thing for me not to be spending my time alone. Perhaps at times, I still wished anyone would ever care to know me better, coz it seems for the most part that there isn’t any interest for me to be part of any group of people, and I hardly ever spend time with anyone but myself. But, I guess, I’m trusting that the Lord will give me friends to rely on and I guess, I can just rest assured that at the crucial moments there’ll be people there. At least, when it matters I can probably still can find friends, and maybe in some sense I still have friends.
Now, for the more recent thoughts about living life to the fullest and living for God’s glory, and perhaps my fear that I’m not doing enough. I guess a good way to sum up my feelings is that, I don’t know if I’m making the most of my life, coz really, I don’t want to waste one single second, minute, hour, month or year. I mean, life is all about the five things as I always say worship, fellowship, discipleship, Evangelism and Ministry, which under one category is living for God’s glory. But, I’m not sure if that involves serving God and enjoying all of the life that He has given us, in that I’m not sure if God intends for us to experience life fully in terms of enjoying our life with holidays, outings, sport, hobbies, music, passions, leisure, entertainment, fun, experiences, talents, dreams, hopes and once-in-a-lifetime stuff. Its true that God wants us to enjoy our lives too but of course as long as God is first place in our hearts. But, my issue is not in that I can’t distinguish that but is in that if I’m not enjoying all that I can out of life, am I then not living the life God intends for each and everyone of us. Does it matter if, all my life I never got to experience the good things in life, and I don’t just mean material things but more of what I mean, is are those invaluable experiences of life, like enjoying the best the world has to offer, in like seeing the world, having tasted the life God has richly blessed us with. Life is about living for God glory and pleasure, and to praise him. I know that with Jesus Christ in the driving seat, I am self-sufficient in Christ. As long as we do what we do for God’s glory it does not matter what we do, we would have lived life to the fullest for God’s glory. But, we must do all 5 purposes, and the rest does not matter. But, what about experiencing all that life brings? Am I living the way God wants us to live? God’s glory is the five things which is living life to the fullest. Is enjoying your life fully part of God’s purpose for our lives? To live life to the fullest for God’s glory means living out all the purposes God has for our lives to the best of our ability. Why would I feel I want to do more with My life? To make the most of the life that God has given me. Life is to serve God and enjoy life as much as possible. Our goal is God’s glory, and to achieve it, we are to live fully for the purposes he has given us for our lives. If we are not enjoying our lives to the best of our ability or as much as possible, will we not be living life completely as God intended for us. Purpose of life is to live for God’s glory? What does this encompass? Everything that is done for God’s glory. Is living life to the fullest part of God’s purpose for our lives? Yes God wants us to make the most of what He has given us just as the story of the talents. So what does this mean? Do everything for God’s glory. Is there more I need to do in my life? I guess, we cannot really put a value to our lives in God’s grand scheme of things. God values each of us so no matter how good or how bad we think ourselves, God loves us all the same, great contribution or small contribution. Am I making the most of what I’ve got to glorify the Lord? “What profits a man if he gains the world but loses his soul?” “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.” Means I probably need not do more. But how much is in our hands and how much is in the Lord’s. We are supposed to use every aspect of life for God’s glory. But just coz someone else does more in life does not make that person any better? I guess its just about following where God leads, whatever we do its part of God’s plan. My main concern is if I’m enjoying life as much as I can and serving, worshipping, growing and fellowshipping as much as possible for God’s glory. I guess, in the end its about living every single second of my life for God’s glory that matters most, no matter what we have done. I mean, make the most of life and serve God in all that we do before life slips away, that’s all I wanna do, which ultimately leads to bringing of glory to God.
Lord, you are so great. All I need is you alone, nothing else. Help Lord not to be discontented with my life, coz sometimes I feel like there’s more I can get out of life, but help me to trust your plan and know that although its good and you want us to enjoy our lives, that what matters most is how I’ve served you and how I have glorifed your name in all that I do. That alone ensures that I have lived life fully and well, and made the most of my life on this earth. Grant me peace in my heart Lord and joy in all circumstances forever and ever Lord, and to glorify your name in all that I do, so that I may shine for you Lord. I love you Lord with all my heart, and all my mind and all my soul. Amen.
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