What hinders us from listening to the good music? Pag naka-mute yung speakers. This has happened to me more than a handful of times. But seriously speaking, what hinders us from experiencing God’s work and power in our lives?
Sometimes there are hindrances that are obviously seen and there are hindrances
which aren’t obviously seen like pride. As Pastor Peter Tan-Chi puts it, pride
is like a body odor, everybody knows about it except the one who has it.
Laude experience. Pride put me in the lowest part of my life. I placed my confidence on myself. I knew that I can make it but God broke me. I was depending on myself. I told myself, I can get the highest Laude because it’s just NU I mean I came from a competitive High School and this will be very easy for me. Who would’ve thought that I would fail my PE and it won’t allow me to graduate with Laude.
Laude experience. Pride put me in the lowest part of my life. I placed my confidence on myself. I knew that I can make it but God broke me. I was depending on myself. I told myself, I can get the highest Laude because it’s just NU I mean I came from a competitive High School and this will be very easy for me. Who would’ve thought that I would fail my PE and it won’t allow me to graduate with Laude.
He doesn’t
want us to drown ourselves in sin that is why I learned my lesson, the hard
way. But in that setback I still experienced grace. The school recognized us
with an academic distinction and when I got the medal, my Mom smiled and
approved. And I experienced most importantly God’s incomparable comfort that no
one can ever give.
Sometimes,
we feel like we cannot do anything because it’s not our strength. But many
times we feel very confident that we can do something because we know that it
is our strength. But, if you don’t mind, the question is: To whom or to what
are we putting our confidence to? Think about it as I continue.
There
are times when we lose sight of Who we are supposed to get our confidence from.
For sure you know the answer. It is not from ourselves, not in our abilities nor
on other people. It should rest upon the LORD, the One who gave us the gift and
capabilities to do what we can do. CHRIST-confidence.
In Psalm 125:1 it indicates that we are secured in God that He loves us and
since this is the case, we can fully trust Him and set our confidence in Him
for the reason that He will never forsake us because of His vast love for us. Psalm
124:8 says, our help is from the LORD. So, having Christ-confidence means
getting rid of our selfish desires, agenda and motives; do our best in our
craft and lift everything to God having our full confidence in His power and
might.
What does the Bible say about this?
Psalm 108:12 and Psalm 60:, all human help is useless but with God’s help, we
can do mighty things.
Why should we be Christ-confident? Because
of who He is. He is reliable. He is loving and will never forsake us. Psalm
146:6 He keeps His promises, He is reliable; Psalm 94:22 He is our fortress; Psalm
89:11 God owns and created everything; He is the God of the already. It was
shown in Joshua 3 and 4 when the Israelites crossed the Jordan River, God was
with them in front, middle and at the end.
Because
this is what we are commanded to do. Psalm 37:34a
Because
He delights in us putting our confidence in Him. Psalm 89:17
Was
there ever a point in your life when you told someone that you will do something
for him/her and parang wala siyang tiwala sayo na kaya mong gawin yun pero sa
totoo naman, it is in your capability. Kainis yung feeling if you’re the one
who promised, right? Ano kaya nafefeel ni God kung ganun din tayo sa kanya. May
it be being confident because of our self or no confidence at all. God assures
us that He can do it certainly (anyway He made the Heaven and Earth out of
nothing). There was this story from Edmund Chan’s Growing Deep in Faith book; there
was a scientist who told Angel Gabriel that he is equal with God because he can
create man out of dust. But Angel Gabriel replied, hmmmm uh uh please do make
dust first.
All we need to do is to put our confidence and full trust in Him. But don't get me wrong this isn't being lazy or being mediocre. Do your part and leave the results to the LORD. Have Christ-confidence, nothing more, nothing less because He delights in us when we are CHRIST-confident.
Consequences of not having Christ-confidence: Sarah’s story who doubted God’s ability to give her a child. Genesis 18:14. Additional problems, pain occur and most importantly we fail to make God smile. And on our part, we miss the better plan God has. We miss the joy and peace that only He can give when we don’t put our confidence in Him. When we don’t trust God we are underestimating Him and overestimating ourselves.
Camp experience. I was assigned as the head of the registration team of a camp. I told myself ah kaya yan. I neglected God and what happened was a disaster. The database was messed up and it caused so much to the dgroup placemet team. Sobrang nakakahiya ‘tong experience na ‘to na ayoko na maalala ever pero God’s grace was still in the picture when He still allowed me to serve in the next camp. But then again, I learned my lesson the hard way, again. Pwedeng hindi niyo na pagdaanan yung consequences na naranasan ko. You can learn from my experience and other’s experiences for you not to encounter the consequences of not depending on God.
All we need to do is to put our confidence and full trust in Him. But don't get me wrong this isn't being lazy or being mediocre. Do your part and leave the results to the LORD. Have Christ-confidence, nothing more, nothing less because He delights in us when we are CHRIST-confident.
Consequences of not having Christ-confidence: Sarah’s story who doubted God’s ability to give her a child. Genesis 18:14. Additional problems, pain occur and most importantly we fail to make God smile. And on our part, we miss the better plan God has. We miss the joy and peace that only He can give when we don’t put our confidence in Him. When we don’t trust God we are underestimating Him and overestimating ourselves.
Camp experience. I was assigned as the head of the registration team of a camp. I told myself ah kaya yan. I neglected God and what happened was a disaster. The database was messed up and it caused so much to the dgroup placemet team. Sobrang nakakahiya ‘tong experience na ‘to na ayoko na maalala ever pero God’s grace was still in the picture when He still allowed me to serve in the next camp. But then again, I learned my lesson the hard way, again. Pwedeng hindi niyo na pagdaanan yung consequences na naranasan ko. You can learn from my experience and other’s experiences for you not to encounter the consequences of not depending on God.
When should we have
Christ-confidence? Whatever the situation is. Moment by moment. Now.
Where? Anywhere. Because God has
given us the privilege to come to Him boldly anywhere, anytime. Because we are
His’. And He delights in us when we come to Him.
How? Come to Him humbly. Isaiah
66:2 the LORD says: “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts,”
I want
to end with the song, I just want You by the Planetshakers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtLrxIRogLM It is Christ’s love
that compels us to serve Him, to give Him our all. I want you to meditate on
this song, how much He loves us and how much more He wants to help us. Not
depending on our own strength but on His eternal power and strength. It is His
love and grace that forgives (na hindi niya tayo pinupunish on what we should
deserve), keeps us from falling (na He provides a way out in any temptation),
His grace that keeps us from failing, catches us from our shortcomings (na He
fills the void that we cannot do) and it is what reconciled us to Him. This is
the greatest love that no one can ever compare. We do everything because of Him
and we do it for Him and Him alone. ♡
Prayer: May everything in us glorify You. LORD, we cannot do anything apart from you. I am inadequate but You are very much capable. Make me the person who will depend on you all the time. Remove in me everything that do not glorify You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
In His
Pursuit,
Michelle
Aquino
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