I always ask myself a question: what is my source of joy? When I am happy, what and who am I happy for? When I am upset, what and who upsets me and steal my joy? There is nothing wrong with feeling happy or upset about something or someone, but if that emotion is too strong and overtakes my desire for God, I have committed the sin of unbelief, or even idolatry. Well, this is just my opinion.
For example, I am not too happy at the moment, because I gave up my chance to travel around the world as a cabin crew. Seeing my dreams fleeting or delaying to whenever that is, I am disappointed. Therefore I ask myself: is travelling giving you more fulfilment than being obedient to God? Will God not able to fulfil all your longings and desires whether in this temporal life or most importantly eternal life? Why are you seeking ways to edify your earthly desires, for temporal fulfilment?
If only you can grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge… remain in Christ’s love, so that Christ’s joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. Why are you looking for friends somewhere else, Christ has called you his friend, even lay down his life for you. He is alive, you know it, but do you believe it? If you believe it, how to you respond to the fact that Christ is alive and he is with you?
It is ok that you do not have a life being envious by the world. It is ok that you are being ordinary from the world’s point of view. It is ok that you are being unpopular. It is ok that you cannot please everyone. Why? Because you don’t have to, you belong to Christ alone. You are being accepted and you are unique in his eyes because he has created you according to his own image, and gives grace for you to repent and to believe in him, he chose you. Your value is neither determined by how the world evaluates you, nor by how people regard you, nor how much money you have, nor your status, nor how much knowledge you have, nor who you befriend with, nor how good-looking you are, nor your fashion sense, nor how many countries you travelled… Your value is in Christ, for who you are in Christ. Christ has chosen you, not because of who you are or what you did, but because of his mercy and grace. Isn’t that gives you enough reason to rejoice?
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died- more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. - my favourite passage: Romans 8
Yes, you are Christ’s, stop doubting. You cannot even separate yourself from Christ’s love by doubting him. So rejoice! Rejoice! REJOICE! Worship him! Free yourself from all the worries, rejoice! Cast your burdens unto Jesus, rejoice! Put your hope in Jesus, rejoice! Be excited for what he is going to accomplish, rejoice! For his Kingdom come, rejoice!
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