Sleepy, tired, but God is so good. :)

Wow, really sleepy and tired after finishing the programming lab assignment on neural networks. But praise God for His faithfulness - finished the whole thing in three days. This time round, it wasn't because of procrastination, but really bcos of school work + ministry that I didn't have time to start on this.

So was feeling anxious on Sunday - especially so with programming assignments being unpredictable - you never know what bug will bug you next, but as I prayed to God for strength and wisdom, this verse came to mind: "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So do not worry..."

Amen! :) And the way things turned out, wow, really can see God's wonderful provision at work here. Think my response to difficult situations has been changing over time. Last time I would cry out and rant to God, complaining to Him why did this thing happen to me... now I find myself sharing with God how I feel - and saying to Him more and more, "God, You must have a reason for letting this particular situation happen. I don't know why, but I'll trust in You. :)"

Think one of the most joyous things about hardships and difficulties is seeing how one changes in the way he or she respond to these difficulties. I find myself becoming closer and closer to what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:10, "That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." I'm not there yet - but I think it IS possible to reach this standard of joy in my lifetime, simply because Paul, a man like you and me, could. I'm not there yet, but let's try our best and encourage one another on towards Christlikeness k? :)

And His grace is always there for me in my time of need. I would do well to remember that truth every time. To humble myself and come before His throne of grace.

I always love to remember this: Grace is the best antidote to pride. Like Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, I think when you really taste and receive grace in all its fullness for the first time - somehow, your life can never ever be the same again. Cynicalness, bitterness, pride... somehow grace, that most amazing of the Christian virtues, when it enters one's heart, overwhelms them all like a river, washing them away.

Grace - getting what I do not deserve. Mercy - not getting what I deserve. Thanks Hongtao for sharing that with me! :) Even if it's in "layman's terms". ;) Haha...

7To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.