Hi everyone, I would like to share what I've learned on Sunday from Pastor John Loong's sermon.
For the past 2 weeks, I have wondered why God has allowed certain struggles in my life. Doesn't God want me to have a victorious Christian life so that I may be joyful to praise him? Why then does God allow me to be defeated by struggles then?
I believe that today's sermon by Pastor John has shed some light. He mentioned that contrary to my belief that struggles are bad, they can actually be used to glorify God.
Psalm 50:15
"And call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me."
Recently, I met Jonathan for dinner on a weekday. He mentioned something that really impacted me. "Our struggles can drive us two ways, either away from God or towards God"
I now personally believe that struggles are not to be shunned or despised, they can bring us closer to God and can be used to glorify him. In our struggles in life, we can give glory to God when we see that he has brought us through.
Rui Jie
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2 comments:
Great that you're convinced by that. Personally, times of troubles and struggles are the times when I call upon the Lord most and feel his comfort and love the most. When I have no troubles, I tend to forget about Him and feel that He is a bit far away.
I'm struggling to keep this balance of remembering Him in good times because I don't want to be always in troubles to know that He loves me. Ha.
Let me note down an example that Rev John Loong gave relating to this. I find it really nice.
"WHEN FRENCH IMPRESSIONIST PAINTER Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) was confined to his home during the last decade of his life, Henri Matisse was nearly 28 years younger than him. The two great artists were dear friends and frequent companions. Matisse visited him daily. Renoir, almost paralyzed by arthritis, continued to paint in spite of his infirmities. One day as Matisse watched the elder painter work in his studio, fighting torturous pain with each brush stroke, he blurted out: “Auguste, why do you continue to paint when you are in such agony?”
Renoir said: “The pain passes but the beauty remains.” So, Renoir continued to put paint to canvas. One of his most famous paintings, The Bathers, was completed 2 years before his death, 14 years after he got the disease."
(Extracted from a write-up in a prayer book by Fr Mark Link, sj.)
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