What are we pursuing?

Most of our heartaches or emotional downs are because we do not get or see to happen what we expect. When what we are longing deeply or expecting earnestly does not come through it is natural for us to feel down.

Reverend Selwyn Hughes says that whether we realize it or not, we deeply crave for something in life. And it is for different things at different stages of life. 99% of us long to be happy by getting something or by doing something and when our deep cravings and expectations are not met we feel sad. Sadly, whatever we pursue runs away from us including happiness. The only easy way to get what we crave for or expect is not to pursue it...Sounds strange isn't it? But it is true. It is not wrong to desire something or expect something to happen but when we tend to pursue it strenuously we only find that we never get it or come to see it happen.

The Word of God emphasizes this truth beautifully in the Message translation

Matthew 6:32-33 (The Message)

"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met".

What more do we need than this encouragement from His word? So do we decide to change our pursuing from things to God?...

No need for Remorse

Most of us when we look back into our lives, there are instances which we feel remorse about or regret for the decisions made. We sometimes think how foolish we had been trusting somebody so plainly. We come to realize that if we had been careful we wouldn't have been fooled by others. Deep inside whether we realize it or not, we tell God that He shouldn't have allowed us to be fooled. We feel that He should have stopped us from being fooled. We may also regret that God did not intervene during those times.

Rev. Selwyn Hughes says that we need to understand that "God loves us the same all the time and will not allow anything to happen to us unless it accords with a wise and a loving purpose". It may be difficult to accept it. However, there is a a truth in this statement. We cannot understand why sometimes God allows certain instances in our life that may be painful. Yet the God allows it for a redemptive purpose which we cannot comprehend fully. But as life goes and when we look back we will be able to connect the dots and be able to see it...

Romans 8:28 (The Message)

That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

His Purpose for Waiting

Rev. Selwyn Hughes state that God answers our prayers in four different ways. 'Yes', 'No', 'I will give you something better' and 'Wait and see what I will do'... The reverend says that among these answers, the fourth one is the most difficult as admitted by many of God's children because of waiting. And waiting simply by trusting that God will do something with regard to our prayer is difficult for many of us. One may wonder why God wants us to wait. It is because we will never mature unless we learn it the Lord's way.

If God were to answer all our prayers immediately, we will grow to become spiritual cry babies (when we do not get what we want) comments Rev. Selwyn Hughes. So God wants us to wait, trust His decisions and choices for us and receive answers that is good for us...

Isaiah 30:18 (New American Standard Bible)

Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you,

And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you

For the LORD is a God of justice;

How blessed are all those who long for Him.

Dealing it Right

Disappointments and discouragements are part of Christian life. Once we feel that we are all heading up the road, sometimes there may be halts, some sliding that make us wonder what has happened. We may be thinking that all is set and things are moving fine, only to meet up with a halt or slide.

However, we need to understand that God does not guarantee us a path of success throughout. Whatever be our life circumstance God wants us to look at life through His eyes for there is something to learn which cannot be learnt otherwise. Unless we learn this lesson we will be tossed and hurled like waves of the sea.

That is what exactly the Psalmist learnt from his life lesson, because of which he said:

Psalm 27:13 (New American Standard Bible)

I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD

In the land of the living.

If the Psalmist had let loose his feelings, then he would have allowed his disappointments be turned to despair. But he did not do so. His feelings were dealt rightly with right kind of thinking and perspective because of which he saved himself from despair...

Restoration Specialist

Once a man shared with his fellow Christians how for years he had struggled to build his business but failed to get it going and earn steadily from it. He was encouraged by his Church mate who told him, that the Lord would bestow upon him doubly. He would get back the years that the locusts ate in double portion. The man was encouraged by this word and he started claiming this word for himself.

Joel 2:25 (New International Version)

I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten...

I personally am a witness for this promise. I have seen the goodness of the Lord with regard to this promise both in my life and in the life of whom I prayed for...

Years of waiting can be painful especially when every step is met by failure after failure. Yet God is good to us and He is faithful to His promise. I have personally experienced how the years of failures and continuous disappointments has been replaced by the Lord in double measure. I can say with assurance that though our current troubles may appear big and years of waiting gruel-some, the Lord is watching and He is sure to replace the years the locusts has eaten in full measure. Amen.

Worship - an act of intimacy

I have always pondered about the deep meaning of worship. We all know that we are created to worship the Lord. Yet deep down inside my heart there have been questions about worship. Why does God require His creation to worship Him?

We know that God alone is worthy of all worship, glory, honor and praise. We also know that God is delighted when His children worship Him. And the angels and heavenly hosts worship the Lord continually day and night.

I have realized that when we worship God we get the privilege of entering His holy presence. In other words, the God of all glory comes down to meet His children when we worship Him. Worship creates an atmosphere where we get to know God more deeply, more intimately and enjoy His divine presence. We often forget that God who is so passionate about us gives Himself to us when we worship Him and draws us close to Him...

Psalm 48:9 (New Living Translation)

O God, we meditate on your unfailing love

as we worship in your Temple.

Recognizing God's Children

"To live the best for Him and bring glory to His name is what I am called and chosen for..."- is the motto of every child of God who walks close to Him. These are some of traits which we can see in a true child of God...

Every action, deed, speech, behavior, ambition and goals are backed by this motto. Anything contrary to this motto is abandoned willfully without regret.

Self-centered gratifications and selfishness are something that are crucified at the cross on a daily basis. Not limiting to that... anything that is contrary to the nature of Christ is quickly identified by the inner prompting of the Holy Spirit, quickly repented and rectified.

Walking in transparency and inward cleansing is most sorted after with the Spirit of God. Knowing that without the Spirit of God's indwelling and His help it is highly impossible to live a life pleasing God ...which is something not just a known fact but a deep living realization.

A child of God is not perfect in everything yet sincere and honest enough to see his/her inner self as is. A humble and a contrite spirit. A willing and yielding spirit. A soul which is teachable and correctable.

Recognizing as a clay in the potter's hand yet walking with power of the Spirit to live blamelessly in this highly corruptible generation - an essential trait.

Being like the Master when it comes to facing criticism, accuse and blame.

And above all to live is Christ and die is gain (dying everyday to build one's own kingdom and glory) as the crux of life...

Colossians 1:10 (Amplified Bible)

That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition].