Monday, September 29, 2008

My Hope – To be home forever (translated from the Chinese post)

It has been ages since I updated about myself in my blog since there is hardly any input in my recent life. On the surface I seem to enjoy my relaxing lifestyle, however I find it very difficult to calm down to reflect or pray. Without realising I have been staying at home for almost five months, my work search has been challenging and I have not heard anything about my work pass yet. Being at home for me is a mix of joy and gloom, in fact, the world has never been perfect.


Joy, is because I’m enjoying an almost a carefree life, free of worry about money or food, and immerses myself in the love of family. I guess this is the wish of most of the people in the world. Nevertheless, still there is anxiety in my heart, and there is nothing I can do to get rid of it.


After staying at home for too long, my body has become stiffened. Anxiety that comes from nowhere has deeply burdened my body and soul. On one hand I enjoy and being thankful of the love and care of God and family members, on the other hand I feel guilty and empty inside. Guilty, is because while I am whole and able, I have not contribute anything to God, family, society, or the world. Emptiness, is because life has no meaning, everyday I just watch tv, play computer games, and because it is very hard for me to concentrate, I read less than before. When life is meaningless and aimless, a person will soon become wasted.


To be honest I feel that I am a total failure, not just feeling, but real failure. When I look back, especially for the past year, witnessing at the failures in my relationships, work search, ministry, ambitions, health… I feel extremely ashamed, and I want to runaway and hide myself from the world. Mum was right; even I did not admit at the time, that I am unable to face and accept failure. I always comfort myself by saying that everything will soon become past, so don’t take things too seriously, and soon I will have the chance to prove that I am not lame or loser anymore.


Today, I realised that I have been escaping from the reality, I have no courage to face and admit my own failure. I thought that I will never be able to stand up again after the fall, I thought the world will reject me forever, I thought my sin was too heavy for God to save me.


I had been in overseas for almost four years; in between there were two whole years I did not come home. Yet after coming home, everything is still the same, dad and mum still love me the same, my brother still recognises me as his sister. Soon after that, I managed to return to my old life. And those years in New Zealand feels like a dream for me. No matter how much I suffer or experienced, even faced the possibly of death, everything has become past. No matter how long I never ring home, how much I had hid from my family in the past, when I come home and told them the truth, my parents still forgave me and love me the same.


The same applies to God as well. Yes, it is true that I have sinned against God, and I have no excuse for that, and I need to confess, and hold responsible for my sins. But because of the only Jesus, although I have sinned, I still have the chance to start again, and still have the chance to be perfect before God. Because of Jesus, God loves me as his own child, even loves me more than my parents. Although facing a lot of failures and afflictions, even the world has rejected me, still I can go back to my Father’s arms, and receive healing from His love. Above all, I can look forward to go home, the perfect home, with no more blood and tears, no evil, no suffering, no hurts, but only perfect love and God’s glorious light forever. Therefore, I took the courage to admit my own weakness and failure before God, and receive my second chance with joy. Again I will be strengthened in God’s grace, and given chance to live a life with flying colours.


Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. – Hebrews 12:1~3

1 comment:

Scott said...

Anne, thanks for your kind comments lately :). Honestly, you are not a failure. You have done much in your life and you will continue to do more as you grow. Now is a like walk in desert for you, I'm sure there are times of closeness and distance from God, sin and faithfulness to Him. There is no doubt in His love for you, which you are right, is much greater than even that of your parents. Continue to seek Him first, don't let that devil meanie pollute your thoughts with rubbish. Be strong, big hugs.