recent lessons i have learnt

1. it's very easy to leave God out

at work. in love. at church. at home.

as i take stock of things, i an appalled at how easily i can allow everything but God to take centrestage. who says that being in a Christian organisation means you find that any easier? thanks to my colleague, i was reminded to take a step back from all the busyness of work, and remember why i am doing what i am doing, and for whose glory.

thanks alvin.

this lesson was also brought to mind after my sentosa date with mel. we spent some time discussing like... future plans and stuff. and i was getting all excited bout things... but then, God reminded me that it was becoming too much of me ME ME!!! and less and less of Him.

i shared my thoughts with mel, and we hope to spend more time really seeking God and praying about what lies ahead, instead of just going with how we feel, or what we want, or opportunities we see. i really want to make God the centre of this relationship, but sometimes it's really hard. sigh... thank God for bearing with me when i 'forget' and don't appreciate HIS love for me enough.

2. be real

these past two weeks we've been having checkouts (simulated teaching sessions) for the instructors for TURT. during a session on 'Authenticity', Sharon shared about how we really do need to be real, and really got to the root issues of why we don't allow our true selves to be seen.

afraid of what people might think of me.

afraid that i will be alone. left on the shelf. alone in a crowd of happy strangers.

afraid that i am not good enough to meet people's expectations of a full time staff. that i am not beautiful enough. not smart enough. not tall enough. not patient enough. not loving enough.

our fear really constricts us. prevents us from revealing who we really are. and that in turn prevents us from really growing. because we appear so 'perfect' already, others won't see the need to encourage us, to admonish us, to push us to be more. and we, in turn, feel unknown. feel unsure and insecure,not knowing if we will ever be all that we appear to already be.

but perfect love casts out fear.

Lord, let me love you so much, and know Your love so much, that i can be real - with you, and with the people in my life. let me words, my actions, be borne of truth, not a web of deceit. let my security and significance be found in You alone. that i can truly sing that 'nothing else can take Your place'!

3. i grow, you grow

my cell group is doing the book of Ephesians now. tonight we covered the first part of chapter 4, and i was struck by the imagery used. i never quite thought of it that way before.

if one part of the body isn't growing properly, it hinders the growth of other parts of the body, and ultimately the development of the whole body. conversely, if it's growing properly, then the whole body grows into maturity, to the full measure of Jesus Christ.

so every part really has a role in how the other parts are going to develop. it's not just a matter of having different functions (spiritual gifts) - we ALL affect each other by what we can bring to the table and what we CHOOSE to bring to the table.

just an interesting added perspective for me. =)