Recently I have been thinking a lot about how God moves in not only my life, but the lives of others around me. As I walked through our beautiful campus looking at the red and yellow leaves that covered my surroundings I began to realize how each tree knew what to do as the weather changes. They each knew their purpose for each season in their life and didn't question God about it. They we designed by their Creator with a reason and they will do what they were called to do through their life span. Each tree knows how important each season is in their growth. Even though winter comes and to the eyes of man it looks dead, but internally it is preparing for the beauty that will be reveled in the spring.
Many times in our Christian walk we think that just because we are going through a hard time means that we are doing something wrong, or we haven't done enough. And often times we forget that God allows those hard times to happen to us so that we can grow. I find myself thinking about each trial I've had to face in the past and how because of it made me stronger over time. God knew I needed to go through that in order to be ready for what is to come. It was definitely confusing and painful when I was going through it, but looking back I knew it was necessary. He doesn't give us trials to punish us or just to watch our lives crumble into a million pieces, He gave us that season for a reason. We just have to trust that He is holding our future and that He will never harm us but to give us hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11). Though I've been struggling a lot ever since I came to college I know that God will use it for my benefit in the future.
For some reasons these days, I started to think that what the Bible says about God being close to the brokenhearted and crushed in Spirit (Psalm 34:18). As I look at my journey here, my respond to the trials I faced wasn't exactly glorifying to God. I remember trying to hold on to friendships or anything else besides God just to take my mind off the pain I was going through. It wasn't until this week where that verse hit me right in the face. I know that God would be near me when the hard times came along, but it was more of something people told you just to cheer you up. It wasn't till this week that I truly encountered God really being close when I was so stressed out with school and things. To be honest last week was probably the most stressful week I've had since I got to college, just because all my due dates were all clumped together, yet I have never felt so much peace and joy ever since I've been here. Earlier this week at college fellowship they encouraged just be broken before the Lord and be in the place of utter surrender before Him. As the speaker talked about how we Christians sometimes begin to believe what the world has told us and we end up forgetting our true identity in Christ through the process, it hit home for me. I looked back on the past few weeks of being here in college and how I began to believe these lies just because I wasn't in an environment I was used to. And in the process forgetting who Christ made me. It was during that broken state where I just lifted up to Him all my burdens and fears that I felt true Joy and Peace that lasted through my week. Each day as I woke up I gave up my day to Him. Even if it was a small frustration I had over small things in life I cried out to Him. And because of that I was able to hear Him so much more clearly than I used to. I was filled with so much Joy and Peace throughout the week it was unexplainable. I stayed up two nights in a row writing papers yet I felt no fatigue the next day at all! And I had to do so many readings for all my classes that week yet God gave me the strength to read everything I needed to and come to class prepared each time! God is truly amazing; He continues surpassing all my expectations beyond anything I can imagine. I am so thankful for this week and everything that has come from it.
Then it got me thinking more of what He wanted me to do here, cuz for most of my life God has always told me to go out into the world and share the Good News with other people, which I did, but right now I strongly feel that God wants to just come into His presence and just grow in Him. A friend once told me of a sermon his Pastor talked about a few weeks back. He used a metaphor about hunting to get through to his point. He said that there are only two orders the hunting dog receives: "Go" and "Come" and both of those are equally as important. When the dog goes before the Master says "Go" it will frighten the pray away, and if the dog doesn't come back when the Master says "Come" neither of them can benefit from the hunt. So what I am saying is that it is both bad which way you look at it if the dog doesn't obey. Then the Pastor relates the dog to us Christians. He says that it is just as important for us to "Go" out into the world and preach the Gospel as to "Come" before the Lord and just grow in Him. I felt that God just wants me to grow in Him in this season of my life. Cuz I know that He will bring forth good for those who obey Him and I can trust in that promise. So when life gets hard or the bad things in life never seem to end, give it to God and just come before His presence and I can guarantee you it is truly the most fulfilling thing you could ever experience. :)
Photo by: Luong Thuy Phuong Linh
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