I was clearing out my draft blogs and found this. I don't remember the source but I hope it will inspire you anyways. ;)
You say: "It ' s impossible" God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27)
You say: "I ' m too tired" God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)
You say: "Nobody really loves me" God says: I love you (John 3:16 & John 3:34 )
You say: "I can't go on" God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)
You say: "I can't figure things out" God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)
You say: "I can't do it" God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)
You say: "I ' m not able" God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)
You say: "It's not worth it" God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28 )
You say: "I can't forgive myself" God says: I Forgive you (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)
You say: "I can't manage" God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19)
You say: "I'm afraid" God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7)
You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated" God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)
You say: "I'm not smart enough" God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)
You say: "I feel all alone" God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)
Monday, July 19, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
1 Corinthians 7: To Be Married, to Be Single...
I decided to blog about this touchy subject after encountering the following scenarios within the past 20 days:
1. At my cousin's wedding, my aunt asked me when will she get to attend my wedding dinner.. Okay..
2. While chatting to a homeless lady, she asked how old I was and said I should get married before I get along in years... that was pretty random...
3. While fetching one of the teenagers home after Youth Meeting, he asked how old I was and why I am not getting married yet... *sweat*
Three occasions within less than a month... I guess it is the perfect time to write on this subject matter.
I am obviously still single at this point and frankly and seriously, it ain't all that bad. I have to admit that for most part of my young adulthood, I idolized the whole idea of marriage. I had my personal grand plans about marriage: I wanted to be swept off my feet by the man of my dreams and be in a relationship and get married, latest by 28 and have my first child before I turn 30. Well, I have obviously by-passed my personal 'optimum' age for marriage and will also reach the big three zero in less than 4 months so yeah, my so-called grand plans have been shelved, or I guess been thrown out of the window. ;)
But as always, God has His wonderful plans and thanks be to Him for His amazing and abundant grace unto our lives. For a long time, I have always wondered why I am not 'wanted', but in the past couple of months, I am beginning to see more and more from another perspective, that it is really okay to be single. After years of struggle, I have finally experienced a breakthrough, all by His grace. I am thankful to God for GoodTV's interview of Pastor Jaeson Ma. I kinda 'accidentally' watched the interview, thinking that it was about Vanness Wu but I believe it was the best 'mistake' I have ever made in my life. The interview wasn't about Vanness Wu but on Jaeson Ma's testimony and I believe God used that interview to speak into my life. I was heavily impacted and encouraged through that message to commit to give my best to God all the days of my life and to trust Him as the real Author and Perfector of my faith and my life. A few days after that interview, I went for church camp and there, I was also touched by the Lord. Within less than a month, I received a long-awaited breakthrough, having failed for years trying by my own strength, and it was all due to His grace and strength.
I know and acknowledge that life is not a bed of roses and there will be days in which I would feel the 'pinch' of wanting a relationship but I do know that I want to desire more of God and I want to depend on His love to satisfy me more than anything else in this world. While I do still wonder whether I am meant for marriage, I do also know that all things are in His plans and whatever His plans may be, the blessed assurance that I have is that His plans are always perfect because He knows best and whether single or married, I will always have His love. As aptly stated by Eugene Peterson in his Message translation of 1 Corinthians 7:17:
...don't be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God's place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there. God, not your marital status, defines your life.
In a nutshell, I am very open to the idea of marriage and I want to give my best to my future husband and our children but one thing's for sure: I do not want to idolize marriage anymore. I want to desire more of Jesus than a life partner. Whether or not I get married, God's will is for each of us to be prepared as the bride of Christ for the coming of the Bridegroom. Rather than to spend the time worrying about when I will meet the guy, I know I should spend more time and effort in preparing myself and the church for Jesus' coming again. So my conviction is that right here, right now, there is a purpose for me to be single in this season. My life is not defined by my marital status. However long God wants me to serve and honor Him as a single, by His grace, I will serve Him with all I am and as best as I can in every way. And I know that His grace is sufficient for all of us. ;)
P/s: Btw, if you are interested to know, I told the homeless lady that it is okay if I get married or don't get married and I told the teenager that it's okay cos I am in God's will and purpose. But I guess my favourite was my reply to my aunt (and honestly, without any malice intended): "You wait lah."
1. At my cousin's wedding, my aunt asked me when will she get to attend my wedding dinner.. Okay..
2. While chatting to a homeless lady, she asked how old I was and said I should get married before I get along in years... that was pretty random...
3. While fetching one of the teenagers home after Youth Meeting, he asked how old I was and why I am not getting married yet... *sweat*
Three occasions within less than a month... I guess it is the perfect time to write on this subject matter.
I am obviously still single at this point and frankly and seriously, it ain't all that bad. I have to admit that for most part of my young adulthood, I idolized the whole idea of marriage. I had my personal grand plans about marriage: I wanted to be swept off my feet by the man of my dreams and be in a relationship and get married, latest by 28 and have my first child before I turn 30. Well, I have obviously by-passed my personal 'optimum' age for marriage and will also reach the big three zero in less than 4 months so yeah, my so-called grand plans have been shelved, or I guess been thrown out of the window. ;)
But as always, God has His wonderful plans and thanks be to Him for His amazing and abundant grace unto our lives. For a long time, I have always wondered why I am not 'wanted', but in the past couple of months, I am beginning to see more and more from another perspective, that it is really okay to be single. After years of struggle, I have finally experienced a breakthrough, all by His grace. I am thankful to God for GoodTV's interview of Pastor Jaeson Ma. I kinda 'accidentally' watched the interview, thinking that it was about Vanness Wu but I believe it was the best 'mistake' I have ever made in my life. The interview wasn't about Vanness Wu but on Jaeson Ma's testimony and I believe God used that interview to speak into my life. I was heavily impacted and encouraged through that message to commit to give my best to God all the days of my life and to trust Him as the real Author and Perfector of my faith and my life. A few days after that interview, I went for church camp and there, I was also touched by the Lord. Within less than a month, I received a long-awaited breakthrough, having failed for years trying by my own strength, and it was all due to His grace and strength.
I know and acknowledge that life is not a bed of roses and there will be days in which I would feel the 'pinch' of wanting a relationship but I do know that I want to desire more of God and I want to depend on His love to satisfy me more than anything else in this world. While I do still wonder whether I am meant for marriage, I do also know that all things are in His plans and whatever His plans may be, the blessed assurance that I have is that His plans are always perfect because He knows best and whether single or married, I will always have His love. As aptly stated by Eugene Peterson in his Message translation of 1 Corinthians 7:17:
...don't be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God's place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there. God, not your marital status, defines your life.
In a nutshell, I am very open to the idea of marriage and I want to give my best to my future husband and our children but one thing's for sure: I do not want to idolize marriage anymore. I want to desire more of Jesus than a life partner. Whether or not I get married, God's will is for each of us to be prepared as the bride of Christ for the coming of the Bridegroom. Rather than to spend the time worrying about when I will meet the guy, I know I should spend more time and effort in preparing myself and the church for Jesus' coming again. So my conviction is that right here, right now, there is a purpose for me to be single in this season. My life is not defined by my marital status. However long God wants me to serve and honor Him as a single, by His grace, I will serve Him with all I am and as best as I can in every way. And I know that His grace is sufficient for all of us. ;)
P/s: Btw, if you are interested to know, I told the homeless lady that it is okay if I get married or don't get married and I told the teenager that it's okay cos I am in God's will and purpose. But I guess my favourite was my reply to my aunt (and honestly, without any malice intended): "You wait lah."
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