Planning and Surrendering

We all have plans. Plans that we think will be good for us. Plans we think will prosper us.

There is really nothing wrong with planning right? But what is wrong is when we really try to move heaven and earth just to be able to realize our plans. We focus too much on the goals and when it seems that the doors are closing we slump down in despair. As we do so, we fail to see other doors opening for us. The sad thing is that those opened doors don’t remain open. They are only available for a certain time. And when we realize that those are the very doors that we need to take, it’s a little too late.

Take for example God’s work. The vineyard will not forever be available for you to work with. God, the master gardener, knows who is capable of doing what and when. As He is our God who never forces his children to work, He waits for us to accept the challenge of working for Him and with Him.

The thing is we have a lot of issues that we consider first before obeying. We selfishly prioritize our agenda and do things our way. And by experience we know that doing things without God’s blessings will tire us down eventually. When we are tired and frustrated because nothing seems to be going right, then we learn to call on God in surrender.

I don’t know what stage you are in right now; maybe you are now on the verge of surrender my friend. Or are you probably too tired to go on and everything seems to be going the opposite direction?

If you are on that stage and even if your plans have amounted to nothing, when your strength is gone and you can’t go on…now is the best time for you to depend on the power of God’s name. He promised to give you rest so just lay your heavy load down at the feet of Jesus.

Help Delayed Is No Help At All

Today I learned that one should seize the opportunity to help as the need arises.

Last friday, I and a friend of mine saw a post at a local forum that we frequent. Somebody is in dire need of our blood type. I can’t give because I have women’s issues, so my friend said he’s willing to give but since we are stil in the office he’d do it tomorrow, Saturday.

Saturday came and we did what we usually do on the weekend and as my colleague got ready to leave the house to go to the Red Cross, he received a saddening text message. The son-in-law of the woman who needed blood passed away. Giving blood would be a little too late.

My colleague forwarded the message to me, and I realized one thing – extending help shouldn’t be delayed. If you are given an opportunity to help, let us do it as soon as we can because we don’t know how our little help would mean to someone in need.

Let’s not forget what Jesus said in Matthew 25:43-45 about helping others. When we don’t help strangers and don’t look after the sick, it’s as if we are doing it to Christ Himself.  It seems that the Lord is still teaching me a lot about the area of helping. May I never forget the lessons because when I help others, it’s as if i’m doing it for my Lord.

Polishing my imperfections

How many times have we been given the opportunity to help but chose to turn our cheek the other way? In my case a lot of times, I must say.

Take for example my experience the past two days.

Day 1- I was inside the jeep on my way to work. We stopped awhile because of the red light then I saw a blind old man trying to cross the street. Part of me wanted to get down and lead him to a safer place but part of me didn’t want to because the light would turn green anytime now. As I was battling within me if I should help or not someone else took his hand and led him away.

I was relieved at the same time ashamed because an opportunity to help passed me by.

Day 2 – Again inside the jeep on my way to work. As always the driver would cram as many people as he can inside. Imagine a sardine can crammed with one fish too many, that was how we looked like this morning.  A lot of passengers were sweating profusely because the total body heat inside that small jeep would equal the heat emitted by the sun. I could have told the girl across me to move a little more so that the old lady could sit better, but I chose to keep my mouth shut and mind my own business.

It’s not that I don’t help, its just that sometimes it doesn’t come naturally. We are all still a work in progress after all. Like a gem that needs polishing, God patiently rubs out the imperfections so that we will become jewels worthy of the King’s crown. As God polishes us we feel the pain but as we slowly shed off those imperfections, we come out shining and pleasing to the Master’s eyes.

How is God working in your life? Is He rubbing out your bitterness? Or is He teaching you to be patient. However He may be working and in whatever aspect it may be in your life, trust that God is never mistaken. He loves you too much to see you stay as unpolished as you once were.