Tag: reading the Bible

Isaiah 22: Reminder to Rely on God

April 16th, 2023

This morning I read Isaiah 22 and it was definitely a chapter I needed to read today.

In the chapter it is prophesied that Jerusalem will collapse. Instead of repenting and turning to God, the Israelites make preparations for war while singing and dancing. As described in Isaiah 22:11-

You built a reservoir between the two walls
for the water of the Old Pool,
but you did not look to the One who made it,
or have regard for the One who planned it long ago.

The Israelites were relying on their own talents and “power” to prepare for the future. And right now I feel like I am acting like the Israelites of long ago. I am worried about things to come in the future, but instead of turning to God I’m turning to my own, limited “power” and strength. I’m trying to prepare on my own.

Of course I have tried to use my own “power” to control things in the past and it never works. I have no power of my own. Any strength I have comes from God.

So when I read this chapter this morning it served as a loud reminder that I need to turn INTO God and not away from Him. I can’t do it in my own and I need Him.
A Heart Filled with Thanks

November 26th, 2022

The other day, in the United States, was Thanksgiving. It’s a holiday that many use as a time for reflection on what they are most thankful for.

Right now I am most thankful for my health. Last year was a tough year for me, especially my mental health. I have worked hard on both my mental and physical health this past year and I am proud of the work I have done and the progress of I have made so far. God is good- He held me through the dark times until I could see the light.

I’m currently reading Psalms and a recurring theme I have seen is praising God and reflecting on all the good He has done in your life. I want to make this a daily habit. I want to finish this year, and start the next year, with a heart filled with thanks.

I hope you join me in being more reflective of God’s goodness and showing more gratitude.
Wrestling with the Book of Job

October 24th, 2022
A couple of weeks ago I finished the Book of Job on my journey to reading the Bible in a year.

I was excited to read Job since I struggle with my mental and physical health and this past year has really been a challenge for me. I was anticipating that the book of Job would really speak to me. I guess I was trying to find some comfort in Job about my suffering.

To be honest, I was disappointed. I really struggled with the book. I thought its message would be clear to me but I found myself struggling and confused.

One of the main topics of the book is why does God allow good people to suffer. Spoiler alert: you never get an answer. I believe many, including myself, expect that after reading the book we will get the answer and everything will make sense. Unfortunately that is not the case. Readers do not get a clear answer in the end and I think that is why I struggled with the book. It didn’t have a clear answer or an ending that wrapped everything up nicely.

The real message of the book is about faith. When we don’t understand something we need to relay on our faith. Rarely do we get clear answers in life. Even more rare is that we fully understand the plans of the Lord. The Lord works in ways that we, as humans, will never fully understand. We have to relay on our faith to trust in God that His plan is good, will prevail and in the end it will all work out.

I admit that this is a struggle for me. As a person who struggles with anxiety and perfectionism, I want clear answers and want to be in control. But that is not how life works. I need to put my trust in God because He has never failed me yet.

The book of Job does not leave believers with nothing to meditate on. From the Bible I was reading, here are some principles from Job:
- Some suffering is caused by Satan. In Job, God allowed the suffering but Satan actually caused the pain
- God is all powerful and good.
- Suffering doesn’t always come as a result of sin. Job’s friends tried to convinced Job that he was suffering because of sin, which the reader knows was not the case. Even Jesus spoke out against the notion that suffering implies sin ( see Luke 13:15; John 9:1-7).
- God will reward and punish fairly in a final judgment after death. Many, including Job’s friends, believe that God’s fairness, His approval or disapproval of people, has to be shown in this life. Other parts of the Bible teach that God will reward and punish fairly after death. Though it may seem that the wicked are flourishing now, in the end that will not be the case.
- God does not condemn doubt and despair. God did not condemn Job because of his doubt or despair. God can handle when you cry out and question Him.
- No one has all the facts about suffering. Humans view situations from a very limited and narrow focus. Only God has the full picture.
- God is never totally silent. Although He may seem silent, you can always find some evidence of Him being near. Remember the past works of God in your life. Focus on the daily works of God in nature (Job 37). God also appealed to nature as giving evidence of His wisdom and power. As an modern author once expressed: “don’t forget in the darkness what you have learned in the light”.
- Well-intentioned advice can sometimes do more harm than good. Job’s friends let their pride get in the way of being compassionate. In the end they gave Job false information.
- God asks for faith. God refocused the central issue from the cause of Job’s suffering to his response. God never gave an explanation of suffering. The real issue at stake was Job’s faith- whether he could continue to trust God even when everything went wrong.
- Suffering can be used for a higher good. In Job’s case, God used a time of great pain to win an important, even cosmic, victory over Satan. Job is often cited as an Old Testament picture of Jesus Christ, who lived a perfectly innocent life but endured great pain and death. The terrible event of Christ’s death was also transformed into a great victory.
This book challenged me to give up control and have faith. God sees the whole picture and we need to trust in Him that He is working from the greater good. Of course this is easier said than done.
The Blog Starts Today!

October 2nd, 2022

I have been thinking about starting this blog for a while now.

I have been a Christian basically my whole life. I officially accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviors in 7th grade. I was in a private Christian School all the way through high school.

After high school my relationship with God went off the tracks and continues to do so. I took for granted my automatic, established Christian community. I have learned the hard way that you can’t live in faith alone, you need a community. I have done little to establish my Christian faith community after high school. I have had the interest and want to do it but have never take action.

Until now. Now I am doing more to establish a new community of like believers and to grow my faith more personally.

Hence, starting this blog. One of the gifts God has given me is writing. I express myself the best through writing. I have thought for a while about how can I use my gift to glorify God and to help me build my relationship with God? A blog. Writing it out.

So that is what I am doing. I am starting this blog to help me grow my relationship with God and sharing so it may help others.

Right now I am doing a program to read the Bible in a year, along with finally joining a small group through my Church and doing daily devotionals myself. Most of my content will be from these experiences as well as things in my life.

I hope you join me on this faith journey!

Tag: reading the Bible

Isaiah 22: Reminder to Rely on God

A Heart Filled with Thanks

Wrestling with the Book of Job

The Blog Starts Today!