It's not just a feeling

Being a Christian after almost 1 year and a half now, it just dawned upon me, there isn’t such a thing as "stagnant" days of being a Christian. Its either you're growing closer to the Lord, or going further away from Him. There's no "I'm stable now and i will keep things this way where I'm comfortable." sort of phase in your walk with Him.

Does that surprise you?

Allow me to put it this way. If you ever had a super close bestie friend in your life, can you imagine yourself being distant from that person for a stretch of time? Obviously, you'll either miss that person or actually spend some quality time with that person, or just simply be with that person.

And if for some reason, you can't meet or even interact with that person for a long period of time, you'll realize it's just not the same anymore.

But if it’s someone who you always say hi and bye - an acquaintance, frankly, it doesn't matter if you didn't even see that person for the next 10 years. It may even not cross your mind that it has already been 10 years since you last saw this friend.

Because the depth of the bonds between your bestie and that acquaintance is different. Deeper bonds, deeper meaning, deeper commitment.

Romans 5:8

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Of course, to compare a human to human relationship and ours to God is a far cry. God is first your saviour, then yes, He is also your best friend. Thankfully, He is also an awesome extremely loving God that could bear with our nonsense all the time. What nonsense? The "when i feel like being closer to You, then i will, if not, I will stay invisible as You've always been."

But how do we stop being that way? I caught myself doing that so many times, again and again, I end up coming to Him begging to let me start over. Trust me, its not a great feeling at all! (With a lot of consequences to deal with at the same time due to that)

There's no other way than being committed to the relationship you have with Him. True love between a relationship may start with a feeling, but never sustained by it. Sincerity is not about getting the mood to do it, true sincerity is doing regardless how you feel, in fact, even when you don't feel like doing it.

But how do we commit? (Some of you might be thinking, "just commit lah duh")

It's not that easy. I don't even know if any of you reading this have actually committed to anything before. In today's time, there isn’t such a thing existing anymore, it also explains why there are so much nonsense going on also. Committing to something doesn’t mean someone forcing you like how your parents may force you to go school, tuition or your piano class. It has to be made by your own personal choice.

So may i suggest taking it one day at a time? In fact one day maybe too hard, why not one moment at a time?

By the way, committing your relationship with God is not equal to "reading the Bible" daily or even going to church every Sunday. There are many people who knows the entire Bible inside out and goes church every Sunday and yet, has never followed Him in any part of their lives.

I was once there few years back and always wondered why this God never spoke to me, today I finally know why. Its because I was spending so much time knowing about Him, but never submit my life in having this beautiful relationship with Him!

If you're going to commit your relationship to a lover and if this lover writes a letter to you everyday, do you just merely read it and then put it away? Or do you excitedly read through the lines, dwell on it the entire day and wonder, if this is what He meant? I mean come on! It's for you! And of course after understanding what He meant, you do your part by learning to trust what He is telling you to do or to listen.

So one moment at a time, one thought at a time, one action at a time. Do it all for the love for God, your Saviour.

If God asked you to love this friend of yours in school and you find it very hard because maybe your friends will laugh at you or even despise you, you take it one step at a time. Start by saying hi to that person and then submitting the cost of your "accompaniment" to God. And to also start to accept that you may end up losing this bunch of friends but also realize that you are finally having the joy of having true freedom in obeying God.

Leviticus 19:34

"But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God."

If its about you spending too much time on youtube or facebook, cut it down slowly. Maybe put a time limit you wish to spend on it and start cutting it down from there, and then submitting the cost of your "leisure time" to God. But also realize that you maybe finally on a journey to realize the joy of "depths of Jesus Christ" in using the time cut down to spend more time in prayer and meditation. (Or quiet time for that matter)

Lastly, have an accountable partner. When i say accountable partner, i don't mean a mere friend that often calls you to just play sports, computer games and crack jokes all day long. I mean by someone who sincerely and seriously takes your relationship with God as important as his/her relationship to God, so get someone whom you know is more mature than you or at least of equal maturity. I personally have a person who is my accountable partner and that person really commits to making sure my relationship with God is always well and going. I know that person will be praying for me even if i don't ask everyday or every week and that person really take time out to commit in doing all that.

I pray that whoever is reading this may have such a blessing from God too. Building a relationship with God is pure hard work, that's something definite. But thankfully, if you have always been depending on God to build this relationship, you'll realize that you are strengthen by His grace. No, i don't mean that it becomes suddenly easier, i know a lot of people get the concept of "strengthening by God" as though their burden gets lighter. It normally doesn't. What it means is actually being able to do it, with His strength!

2 Corinthians 12:9

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Yes, you'll feel the same tough going, but you also know you'll make it in the end, because you're enabled by His grace. If you're not strengthen by His grace, you can try all you want and i can guarantee you, you'll never make it.

-Gary Heng

Images are taken from :

http://doctorbutterfly.xanga.com/
http://im-realize.blogspot.com/2009/09/im-upset.html
http://www.howtowriteaformalletter.com/
http://www.dianasimon.com/my-accountability-partner-may-9th/1312