CNY Thoughts: The Same Old Things

Had a good chat with Kelvin on Saturday, right after HopeKids. Simple but meaningful, and as usual, wise words from one who has walked, stumbled, fallen away and returned to Him.

=) Remembering that, I remember too about what he shared with me. That it's normal to have ups and down - in fact, it'd be suspicious if I said all is perfectly well and everything's going fine. Arched eyebrow from him too haha.

It's the young and immature believer who expects life to be a culmination to a grand "BEYOND GODLIKE" mode - if you can sustain your "killing spree" a la DOTA - whoa, you're all set to succeed spiritually. But that's falling right into the devil's trap.

For then what is the meaning of this Scripture: "And we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character, and character hope. And hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom He has given us."? What else does the epistle to the Romans teach? That sanctification is a process - and a lifelong one at that. In our quest to be holy, let us not get separated from sound doctrine.

Anyway.

So he reminded me about praying and not worrying.

And that the same root will manifest itself in many issues, in many seasons. If you think you've done with the problem of insecurity, that's true only for one season. In the next, you'll face the same old root issue in a different form. But to get rid of the root issue... many times God chooses not to just snap His fingers and let it be taken away. Otherwise we'll miss the transformation process that comes from struggling with the same old root issue again and again. When the time is right, God will remove it. But meanwhile, persevere, and whatever happens, don't fall away. Don't retreat. Don't get pinned down. Just keep moving on.

And he told me about a brother who was a chain smoker. He basically smoked, and struggled to quit. He persevered and persevered, though of course it was discouraging. After marriage, he smoked again. After becoming a Christian, he still smoked. After his first son, he still smoked. Till the time came when he received a word from the Lord in a church camp, and then he went out to have another puff... and suddenly had a moment of clarity - shall I smoke or not?

He decided not to, and that was that.

But the freedom came from God, and the power to decide was given by Him. That was the right timing. For a chain-smoker, that's an awesome testimony.

But what if the brother had smoked just one packet, and then after that, quit? Then the power of God could not have been revealed very much.

Wow. Thank God for this dear veteran's insights. It's the younger and less mature leaders who told me that I should be done with the root issue once and for all. But... that's rather far-fetched.

:)

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I also see His transformation process in me. I still struggle with nervousness in performing and speaking on stage, even though I enjoy it and have the skills too. Mainly because I'm still very insecure about how others will see me. But I see how the past 6 months, God has put me on stage to conduct technical training. And I realize that my best moments are when I am most myself. His power is made perfect in weakness. Not when I try to imitate someone else's style, but when I choose to focus on delivering the message most effectively in the way I know best. Not to focus on the audience, but on the substance and content.

And now, I'm comfortable with talking to kids from the stage - I like it. Haha. And to go with the flow.

Still, I feel awkward when it comes to doing drama, because somehow I feel constrained by others telling me that I shouldn't be so dramatic and in my own world at times. Yet ... it is part of what I am.

:)

(But they are not me. And I know God made me to be, well, me. As Hong Teck would say, "You are right just what God made you to be. Celebrate and have some ice-cream.")

*pause*

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So I'm still insecure. At least I'm learning to recognize the incoming rounds of insecurity and temptation faster.

Kelvin told me that it's helpful to recall familiar portions of Scripture that help to counter these same old rounds.

Because the same old Scripture can neutralize the same old root.

Yes, new things to come but it's always about building on top of what we have already attained.

Just like how pro footballers, when they train, they don't just dream up new strategies. They most of the time practice on the basics again and again. How to kick a ball properly. How to aim. How to tackle, defend and so on. Very basic.

Most facepalm failures on the field are due to lapses in the basics.

Prayer, Word and worship. Someone mentioned last time about learning exciting new "ministry technologies". About being innovative, etc. It's nice... but it's not really very effective to imagine ourselves as being innovative in ministry. Yes, we present the same old truths in fresh new ways.

"Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining." (1 John 2)

If we really want to see a new thing in our lives, then hear the old command and live out its truth in our lives ("its truth is seen in Him and in you")... then it will become a new command to us personally.

It amazes and appalls me how we become so jaded every time we go for Sunday sermons and then say we want fresh new teachings, new bread and so on. Friends, we are just like the Israelites who complained about the "same old" manna in the desert. They craved fresh meat, fresh veggies and so on... and God said, sure... and you'll end up as fresh corpses in the desert.

"These things happened to [the Israelites] as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!" (1 Corinthians 10)

Word.

Unless we change and become like little children, we will certainly never enter the kingdom of heaven. We will always be seeing but never perceiving.

'Cos little children have the remarkable capacity to see the same old things in fresh new ways every day. Likewise, may my heart too be childlike that I can see the same old sunrise with a fresh new song of praise each day.

Because that is the secret to a contented heart. Otherwise we'll be hankering after fresh new experiences, fresh new miracles, fresh new insights and so on. We won't be satisfied, and we can never be.

I have had younger Christians ask me, how do you find and maintain the joy in the Christian life?

I think the answer is simple: learn to be like a little child. See the same old things in a fresh new way every day. One grain of sand ought to hold fresh new wonders for you each day. And scientifically speaking, it is truer than you realize. Like, sand to make sandstone for a pyramid... sand to make quartz for a precision watch... sand to make computer chips... the same old sand across different epochs. Seeing the same old sand in fresh new ways. Don't tell me now that you can't see much in a grain of sand now, can you?

Can one verse likewise bring forth fresh new wonders in our lives each day? Yes.

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Whatever new things there are, that is God's role.

"See, I am doing a new thing... A new command I give you... Behold, I am making everything new! Write these down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

God's role is to create. Ours is to steward and care for, to maintain and to multiply.

God innovates, we imitate.

God makes all things new, we bring old things to Him to renew.

So...

Happy New Year, my dear friends, and may we be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that we may be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will.

Amen and Hallelujah!