Bitter Makes Me ________

“Bitter makes me better.”

I always see this statement on my Facebook news feed and on my Twitter home page. But seriously, does it really makes us “better”?

I met so many bitter people. But as what I observed in their lives – on their perspective about life, love, relationship, and many others, it didn’t made them better. In fact, they grew worse than before because it already destroyed their perspective about those things.

What does bitterness can do to us then?

Bitterness is a maximum-security prison specially made for you. And who created that prison? It was YOU. How come? When a person we are bitter with is doing something, even just simple breathing, it ticks our nerves and every stupid and irrational thoughts are already pouring out on our minds. It’s an everyday torture for us when we see and think that person, but technically, that person is doing nothing on us. Who’s the prisoner right now? Is it that person or us? And who’s the jailor? That person or us? Obviously it was us. In short, we are the loser in both sides.

In conclusion, bitterness will only make you worse. It will take away your joy, your ability to trust, to love, to believe. Let go of that bitterness for you to move on with peace.

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

– Ephesians 4:31-32 (ESV)

Preventing Isolation Before It’s Too Late

On the past post I’ve written about isolation, I revealed to you how isolation works in each and every one of us. It also shows the effects of this scheme of the enemy and how it destroys us.  This time, I will going to discuss how to prevent it.

Sometimes, it’s too late for us to know when we realize that we already fall on this scheme because that’s the time when the will of Satan already commenced in our lives. But here’s some preventive measures for us not to fall on this scheme:

• If there is an unresolved conflicts between you and your team-mate(s) or church mate(s), better talk to them right ahead and settle it between you and them. If not, bitterness will start to grow and it will serve as a catalyst for isolation.
• If you’re insecure with them, find people who will help you deal with it.
• If you have hidden sins and you don’t want to confess it to your church mates because you are afraid that they will going to condemn and reject you, you’re in the surest path to isolation. Better confess it to them and ask help from them to overcome it. And they will surely still accept you no matter who you are or what you’ve done, because each and every one of them are like you, and still God accepted them.
• Maintain a healthy relationship with your church mates
• If you are part of a team and you feel that one of your members are already isolating themselves to the rest of the team, make time to talk with them and ask why he/she is isolating himself/herself. Make sure to make all your team-mates get involve with this.

Here’s another proof that fellowship is one of the vital elements of Christian life. Isolating yourself will never bring you relief, it will only left you completely missed-out on how beautiful and enjoying Christian life is.

ISOLATION: Deadliest Scheme

One of the schemes of the devil that can be used to us is ISOLATION. Isolation can be triggered by offense, insecurity, jealousy, and sometimes, lack of communication. And all these things can happen inside a team, in a spiritual family.

This scheme is actually the deadliest among other schemes. Why? Satan knows that a fellowship of Christians is very hard to destroy (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). He can only advance when we are alone. How can he do it? Through those things I’ve mentioned above, he will use that to plant lies on your mind. When you started believing those lies, that’s the time you will going to distance yourself to your team and your spiritual family, to the point that you will going to cut the line that connects between you and them. And when you are now completely isolated from them, that’s the time for Satan’s will for you to commence: To steal the calling and the destiny God has placed in you; to kill the joy and the fire inside your heart; and to destroy your life completely (John 10:10).

This is the truth that we need to face: Isolate yourself and YOU’RE DEAD MEAT!

How to prevent it? Stay tuned for my next post.

Then Suddenly…

‎Expect for those “Then suddenly…” moments in the middle of those enjoying moments in your life because that’s one way of God’s testing your faith to the next level.. Just like what happened to me: My schedule and subjects are already prepared, only the down payment is what I was waiting for me to be enrolled for this sem. Then suddenly, my mom told me a while ago that I will not be able to go to school again this sem. But unlike what I was feeling in the past, there’s peace in my heart.

When those moments came, will you still worship God? Will you still honor Him?

One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised.”

In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

– Job 1:13-22 (NIV)

Crying Out

It’s been a while since I took some “rest” from blogging. And I’ve realized, it’s been a long time already. So here I am, once again, signing-on.

When trials, anxieties, worries, brokenness, doubt, and other such things come, what are you doing? Succumbing yourself to these feeling? Having a “pity party,” saying “Why me?” Or completely ignoring these things and pretend that it don’t exists? But, hey! ARE YOU CRYING OUT TO GOD?

As trials bombarding me, I hold on to God’s Word. When I‘m doing my quiet time, this is a one startling revelation that I got from God. And what’s that? “CRY OUT!” I asked Him, “Lord, why this one?” And I heard His soft, still voice, saying to me, “How can I hear your cry if you’re not crying out to me? How can I go into your situation if you’re not telling it to me? Cry out, my son. Cry out!” And I realized, God is right. Because He said in His Word, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Joel 2:32)”

One thing that God wants to say is CRY OUT.

But what if when you keep on crying out, but no answer from Him? Does it mean He’s not listening to you? Does it mean He’s enjoying watching you suffer? Does it mean He don’t care about you and your situation? I don’t think so. Why? First, God’s silence doesn’t mean He’s not listening or He don’t care. In fact, He’s silent because all of those things you’ve experiencing is part of His grand design for you—preparing you for you to be what God wants for you. Do you think when He’s not answering means He doesn’t care about you? That’s a big lie. Do you think He’s not thinking about you when He chose to die shamefully on that cross two thousand years ago? You need to be submerged in a tub filled with ice-cold water for you to wake-up. Come on, now! He cares about you and your situation.

When those things come in our lives, you know what to do. CRY OUT! Still no answer? Keep on crying out! And wait for Him to answer you and wait for Him to be the center of those things.

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

– 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)