I realized that I've kind of lost the inspiration to write after I started working...
There will be times I want to write/journal/blog, yet the tiredness rob me of my energy... I do miss the times I can write freely, think freely and have almost all the time I want to spend with God and friends that matter.
Not that it has been a bad time, the Chees are in the midst of transitions, thus the absence from this space. And the quietness in the household. I've been working for about 2 months and Johnson started his new job as a Primary School teacher today. I've been anxious while I was at work, thinking if he was ok and if he enjoyed his work. Yet another part of me felt sad that we have kind of 'officially' left Campus Crusade, and 'officially' on our own - in some sense, there isn't much community around us as compared to, a few months ago.
Do bear with this empty space for awhile as we cruise through this rocky waves and await for the strong winds to taper down. :) I've kind of expected this transition when we decided to step out and change our jobs a few months ago - but experiencing and going through the transition is sure a whole different ball game.
Life at work for me has been a good one, there are many times I felt that I can do more, and I'm getting the hang of the work, yet there are those rare moments that 'kill' my joy and 'dampen' my spirits. I didn't expect that I will say this, but I think I do enjoy the filing at work, the stress that comes with not knowing how to do things, and the joy that I have finally learned the skill and gained a knowledge. Yet the process from the stress to the joy is... heart wrenching. :p
I cried buckets last Wednesday on my way home from work... First, the thoughts of having doing a presentation that I know nothing about, that I feel unconnected to, that I had to 'pretend' that I know what's going on surely grieved my heart. :\ I didn't know how to expressed what was going through in my heart and mind, and that day ended with several buckets of water. I was confused with the work I had to do, not that there was a lot - but to me it does felt like there was a lot of work especially when I don't know how to do the work. Secondly, I felt really intimidated at times as I didn't know how to speak as well as some staff who was there.. I couldn't write my emails properly, words didn't flow as well as I am writing my blog, and many times my senior staff would come and ask, "Yvonne, I don't really understand what you are saying." and it made me sad, and more disappointed with myself. Writing formal emails and minutes/filenotes/quicknotes can be a challenge especially when my language is deemed weak and it doesn't help when I'm conscious with my language and I take an even longer time to draft and email, and require a third person to vet it :\ sighs. I realised that the more conscious I am with my language, the worse I get... and it's getting worse.
Thirdly, I get frustrated easily when I can't get help when I need it, especially when I have a deadline and I need to get it done to ensure that the bosses get it. And sometimes, it's quite a challenge as I usually ask many clarifying questions before I do my work - and especially more when I am unsure what I have to do. And when that happens, it'll naturally cause other senior staff to slow down in their work as they have to pause for me, and their frustrations will be shown on their face. And that, is what will cause me to retreat back to my own desk... and fiddle with my work - praying that what I am doing will be correct, and that my bosses will not think that I am inefficient. However, several times I realized that I had to re-do and do the work I just did again and again. A test of my patience indeed.. a great lesson to be learned and re-learned many times...
I cried on my way home from work on Thursday and tears just fell uncontrollably when I was in the cab. The taxi uncle saw me crying from his rear mirror, and he seemed quite uncomfortable. I tried to hide my tears, but in vain. The atmosphere in the taxi was quiet and tensed, the taxi uncle drove really fast as if he was telling me, don't worry Uncle will bring u home. And that made me cry more. I don't really know what triggered the tears - the presentation that I didn't know how to do and that I had to present to my CEO and several bosses, the insecurities about my incapability at work, or the part that I miss direct meaningful work. The taxi stopped by a red light, and the uncle turned, "This tissue is clean one, don't worry, can use one." The uncle passed me a pack of new tissue and said, "We are reaching soon ok! Don't worry, it's ok one. It's ok." and more tears fell from my eyes. At that moment, I missed dad. Or being able to share with someone that I had a challenging day at work... and just be comforted, not to be scolded or ignored but to be real and be me. I guess it's just how everything is coming together, the transitions, and reality that I'll be here for a while until God deemed me ready for the next season - which I don't know when... and so for that while I need to be comfortable to be unsure, and insecure, but only be secure in God.
As Johnson started his work today, I felt really happy for him that he is able to impact lives at school. I'm sure he'll do so well. Just circumstantially, right now, I just need to be where I am, doing non-direct work and allow God to lead me in every step of the way. It's challenging, but I am thankful for the little things in life - Johnson, the taxi uncle, the filing satisfaction and nice colleagues and Abba Father.
Till the next post... We'll cruise.
Showing posts with label lessons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lessons. Show all posts
Monday, September 13, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
quotes that sustains... me. :)
“One of the best wedding gifts God gave you was a full-length mirror called your spouse. Had there been a card attached, it would have said, “Here’s to helping you discover what you’re really like!”
– Gary and Betsy Ricucci
The more you invest in a marriage, the more valuable it becomes.
--Amy Grant
A great marriage is not when the 'perfect couple' come together. It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences.
--Dave Meurer
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let everyone of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
--Ephesians 5:21-33
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Journeys and lessons :)
I was chatting with a dear sister during lunch time, and through the conversation, I came to realize that it's been a really long time since I journaled down thoughts and shared about our lives on our blog. I miss those times that I used to be able to blog and journal freely, and the inspiration to write would come so naturally! Not that I am admitting that I am older and slower now :p but I think the entire sense of laziness and life has overtaken me. *breathed heavily and paddles for a floating plank* :p *grinz*
As most of you would have known, Johnson and I went through a "storm" in the first year of our marriage and we've been paddling and swimming, grabbing hold of planks.. Looking back, we are thankful to God for helping us "cruise" through the storm :) We are alright now, and are trying to figure out what and where God is leading us as a family.
I am thankful for this married journey that God has blessed us and me with, I am thankful for the many lessons that He has granted me to grow. :) Now I finally understood what it means when people (I mean my mom and many aunties, and mentors) reminded us constantly before we were married that "Marriage is hard work" and it is! Though being married to Johnson has brought me also a lot of joy and funny journeys - as some would know him :)
After 1 yr of marriage, here's some interesting things I've learned about him and myself that I knew less before we were married:
(Adding to the list here)
1. He's a morning person and I'm not
2. He likes to wake up early in the morning and not waste his day, whereas I love to sleep
3. He likes to switch on the TV to the news channel every morning first thing when he wakes up, as if to connect to the world and gradually "wake up" :)
4. He loves sitting on our sofa to "wake up" when he wakes up from bed, and when he comes home from work
5. He's an enforcer - once his mind is set on something, he'll make sure he does it diligently. In this case, to wake up early and exercise twice a week before work (running) and twice a week after work to swim (total of 3-4 times of exercise!)
6. He enjoys the food I cook once a week
7. He's a real help to the household chores at home
8. He's an encourager - he speaks forth more words of encouragement and shows affirmation more than I do!
9. He doesn't like to waste time - and I often take my time to prepare in the morning to go to work together, so he gets frustrated when I take my own sweet time = waste time. :p *grinz*
10. He's definitely a breakfast person! I'm not. :p
As I reflect upon what we have forged over the past one year, here are some healthy new routines we have set, to encourage us as we spur to encourage and love one another in the Lord and in our marriage:
1. We say "good morning" to each other first thing when we wake up
2. We welcome each other with hugs in the morning before any activities like preparing for work and breakfast happens
3. We try to leave the house together
4. When either one of us comes home later than the other, the one at home must welcome the other with a big "HELLO!" and come to the door to welcome the other :p
5. We split the household chores and help one another in the chores at home
6. We take 15-30mins each day to share from the book - Night Light by Dr James and Shirley Dobson (a devotional for couples that allows us to share about our growth in marriage and how we think each of us did in our roles etc.)
7. After the devotion, we take time to pray for ourselves and for our friends and family members
8. We say "Goodnight!" to each other before we sleep
9. We try to fix "Thursday" nights as our dating and quality time spending day (Johnson plans for 3 nights out of 4 in a month! :p)
10. I will cook a meal to have at home once a week, if not once fortnightly
It has been really a challenge keeping up to these routines, but because we have seen the benefits it gives to our relationship, we are keeping it up! And when we fail to do it, we'll make it up the following week! ;p try la. :p
Recently, I've been reading a book called, "The Excellent Wife" by Martha Peace (no, not that I want to pursue to be the most excellent wife in this world) recommended by a website that I came across that encourages wives to read this book as it uses Proverbs 31 to provide the biblical perspective of how wives should be... It's a really good book I must say..
Some precious lessons that I'll like to share with you:
1. God's will for every Christian wife is that her most important ministry be to her husband (Gen 2:18) After a wife's own personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, nothing else should have greater priority. Her husband should be the primary benefactor of his wife's time and energy, not the recipent of what may be left over at the end of the day.
2. God is purposefully working in our lives :) God's promises to us all of your life experiences, including any evil that has been done against you, for your good. One example of good that comes from adversity is changes in your character as you become more like the Lord Jesus Christ. (Roms 8:28-19)
3. God wants me to be a joyful and fulfilled wife. (Proverbs 31:13,18,25,28,29)
4. Satan is against everything that God establishes. So, he tries to undermine the home and the wife's role. You are to stand firm against the schemes of the devil by being an obedient Christian. One biblical requirement of your obedience is for you to graciously place yourself and remain under your husband's authority (unless he asks you to sin). God's protection covers you by means of the authority structure God has set up for us as wives. His plan was devised from His perfectly pure heart of love, God does His very best to protect wives. Keep in mind that you will never be what God wants you to be until you place yourself under God's plan by coming under the authority of your husband. If you do not, you have not done everything biblically possible to "stand firm" (Eph 6:13)
5. The Hebrew word "echad", which means "one, alike, altogether, or all at once" which is used in Genesis 2:24 referring to husbands and wives, and in Deuteronomy 6:4 to the Trinity. Men and women are supposed to be a compound unity in marriage just like the Trinity. However, because of our sin nature, this can only happen in Christ. God calls us to be tender, compassionate, and merciful to our spouse. He calls us to love each other sacrificially, putting the other person first, and yielding our rights. He tells us to communicate openly, honestly, and humbly; to understand each other, and be reliable and faithful.
6. The goal of a Christian couple is to have oneness that is characterized by a loving spiritual and physical bond that glorifies God and thereby enhances personal spiritual growth. This is accomplished as each partner helps the other become as much like the Lord Jesus Christ as possible. Galatians 6:1-2 calls us to bear one another's burdens. "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." So our responsibility is to be diligent in pursuing oneness with our own husband so that we might bring glory to God.
7. As Christian wives, our goal is to glorify God, and if that is our desire, then we must understand God's perspective on our marriages. Man and woman were created in the image of God, but man was created first because it is his responsibility to rule over the earth. Just as Christ glorified the Father by doing His work, so we are to glorify our husbands by doing our husband's "work." The Trinity is a model for the harmony that we are to have in our home. We see that our husband is like Christ. He is made in the image of God, and glorifies God by doing His work. We are like the Holy Spirit. We are made in the image of God, and we glorify our husbands by being suitable helpers for them.
8. God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him, not most satisfied in our husbands - they cannot become our idols or our desires cannot become our idols. We can have the same love and continual delight in our Lord that we see in the Psalms, like Psalm 119, when we focus on Him and His goodness, and how He is working in our lives to glorify Himself.
More to come as I continue this book...
God is good :)
As most of you would have known, Johnson and I went through a "storm" in the first year of our marriage and we've been paddling and swimming, grabbing hold of planks.. Looking back, we are thankful to God for helping us "cruise" through the storm :) We are alright now, and are trying to figure out what and where God is leading us as a family.
I am thankful for this married journey that God has blessed us and me with, I am thankful for the many lessons that He has granted me to grow. :) Now I finally understood what it means when people (I mean my mom and many aunties, and mentors) reminded us constantly before we were married that "Marriage is hard work" and it is! Though being married to Johnson has brought me also a lot of joy and funny journeys - as some would know him :)
After 1 yr of marriage, here's some interesting things I've learned about him and myself that I knew less before we were married:
(Adding to the list here)
1. He's a morning person and I'm not
2. He likes to wake up early in the morning and not waste his day, whereas I love to sleep
3. He likes to switch on the TV to the news channel every morning first thing when he wakes up, as if to connect to the world and gradually "wake up" :)
4. He loves sitting on our sofa to "wake up" when he wakes up from bed, and when he comes home from work
5. He's an enforcer - once his mind is set on something, he'll make sure he does it diligently. In this case, to wake up early and exercise twice a week before work (running) and twice a week after work to swim (total of 3-4 times of exercise!)
6. He enjoys the food I cook once a week
7. He's a real help to the household chores at home
8. He's an encourager - he speaks forth more words of encouragement and shows affirmation more than I do!
9. He doesn't like to waste time - and I often take my time to prepare in the morning to go to work together, so he gets frustrated when I take my own sweet time = waste time. :p *grinz*
10. He's definitely a breakfast person! I'm not. :p
As I reflect upon what we have forged over the past one year, here are some healthy new routines we have set, to encourage us as we spur to encourage and love one another in the Lord and in our marriage:
1. We say "good morning" to each other first thing when we wake up
2. We welcome each other with hugs in the morning before any activities like preparing for work and breakfast happens
3. We try to leave the house together
4. When either one of us comes home later than the other, the one at home must welcome the other with a big "HELLO!" and come to the door to welcome the other :p
5. We split the household chores and help one another in the chores at home
6. We take 15-30mins each day to share from the book - Night Light by Dr James and Shirley Dobson (a devotional for couples that allows us to share about our growth in marriage and how we think each of us did in our roles etc.)
7. After the devotion, we take time to pray for ourselves and for our friends and family members
8. We say "Goodnight!" to each other before we sleep
9. We try to fix "Thursday" nights as our dating and quality time spending day (Johnson plans for 3 nights out of 4 in a month! :p)
10. I will cook a meal to have at home once a week, if not once fortnightly
It has been really a challenge keeping up to these routines, but because we have seen the benefits it gives to our relationship, we are keeping it up! And when we fail to do it, we'll make it up the following week! ;p try la. :p
Recently, I've been reading a book called, "The Excellent Wife" by Martha Peace (no, not that I want to pursue to be the most excellent wife in this world) recommended by a website that I came across that encourages wives to read this book as it uses Proverbs 31 to provide the biblical perspective of how wives should be... It's a really good book I must say..
Some precious lessons that I'll like to share with you:
1. God's will for every Christian wife is that her most important ministry be to her husband (Gen 2:18) After a wife's own personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, nothing else should have greater priority. Her husband should be the primary benefactor of his wife's time and energy, not the recipent of what may be left over at the end of the day.
2. God is purposefully working in our lives :) God's promises to us all of your life experiences, including any evil that has been done against you, for your good. One example of good that comes from adversity is changes in your character as you become more like the Lord Jesus Christ. (Roms 8:28-19)
3. God wants me to be a joyful and fulfilled wife. (Proverbs 31:13,18,25,28,29)
4. Satan is against everything that God establishes. So, he tries to undermine the home and the wife's role. You are to stand firm against the schemes of the devil by being an obedient Christian. One biblical requirement of your obedience is for you to graciously place yourself and remain under your husband's authority (unless he asks you to sin). God's protection covers you by means of the authority structure God has set up for us as wives. His plan was devised from His perfectly pure heart of love, God does His very best to protect wives. Keep in mind that you will never be what God wants you to be until you place yourself under God's plan by coming under the authority of your husband. If you do not, you have not done everything biblically possible to "stand firm" (Eph 6:13)
5. The Hebrew word "echad", which means "one, alike, altogether, or all at once" which is used in Genesis 2:24 referring to husbands and wives, and in Deuteronomy 6:4 to the Trinity. Men and women are supposed to be a compound unity in marriage just like the Trinity. However, because of our sin nature, this can only happen in Christ. God calls us to be tender, compassionate, and merciful to our spouse. He calls us to love each other sacrificially, putting the other person first, and yielding our rights. He tells us to communicate openly, honestly, and humbly; to understand each other, and be reliable and faithful.
6. The goal of a Christian couple is to have oneness that is characterized by a loving spiritual and physical bond that glorifies God and thereby enhances personal spiritual growth. This is accomplished as each partner helps the other become as much like the Lord Jesus Christ as possible. Galatians 6:1-2 calls us to bear one another's burdens. "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." So our responsibility is to be diligent in pursuing oneness with our own husband so that we might bring glory to God.
7. As Christian wives, our goal is to glorify God, and if that is our desire, then we must understand God's perspective on our marriages. Man and woman were created in the image of God, but man was created first because it is his responsibility to rule over the earth. Just as Christ glorified the Father by doing His work, so we are to glorify our husbands by doing our husband's "work." The Trinity is a model for the harmony that we are to have in our home. We see that our husband is like Christ. He is made in the image of God, and glorifies God by doing His work. We are like the Holy Spirit. We are made in the image of God, and we glorify our husbands by being suitable helpers for them.
8. God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him, not most satisfied in our husbands - they cannot become our idols or our desires cannot become our idols. We can have the same love and continual delight in our Lord that we see in the Psalms, like Psalm 119, when we focus on Him and His goodness, and how He is working in our lives to glorify Himself.
More to come as I continue this book...
God is good :)
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Rejoicing in sufferings
A glimpse of Philippians 1-4 for those who have read and are interested:
1) Paul thanks God for the Philippians participation in the gospel, assuring them of future perfection and praying for their growth in love so that they can approve that which is excellent, leading them to being sincere and blameless (1:3-11)
2) Paul’s imprisonment has led to great progress in the gospel, the Praetorian guards having heard and the Roman Christians sharing the Word, leading to Paul’s convictions that this will lead to his deliverance, necessitating his determination to stay in the flesh and continue in his state. (1:12-26)
3) Paul asks the Philippians to stand firm in unity, not being alarmed by oppositions as God has granted us suffering from which we escape if we humble ourselves the way Jesus did and experience the exaltation of God as did Jesus (1:27-2:11)
4) So work out your salvation, with an attitude opposed to grumbling, as God is waking these things in you (2:12-18)
5) Paul sends Timothy, a faithful worker and Epaphroditus who is distress and because they know he was sick and needs to be held in high regard as he almost died doing what the Philippians did not do (2:19-30)
6) Paul tells them to rejoice, avoiding those who have a confidence in the flesh and to count all things loss so that they may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering, leading to participation in His death and resurrection. (3:1-11)
7) Paul says he forgets the past and presses on to maturity, exhorting them to do the same as there are others, enemies of Christ, whose end is destruction, whereas the readers are destined to conformity of their bodies to glory (3:12-21)
8) So stand firm by rejoicing, fore-bearing, praying rather than worrying, and letting your mind dwell on things worthy of praise and the God of peace will be with you (4:1-9)
9) Paul says though he is content and can do without the Philippians contribution, they have blessed themselves and Paul through the gift (4:10-20)
Studying the book of Philippians in much detail in the past one week in a theology class has brought much light to me, what it truly means to rejoice in the Lord. I now see sufferings differently, that it is for us to embrace to grow to reach true perfection when the day arrives.
Surely it takes great art and much effort to truly embrace sufferings with joy and thanksgiving, without grumbling and complains (Phil 2:14-15) as Paul has told the church of Philippi not to. But clearly Paul is a typical example of how one can truly master this art, closest to perfection – and still not perfected [Philippians 3:12] and it is truly humbling for me to know this man through the word of God.
I learned that sufferings aka tribulations are good for our spiritual walk. We should not try to get ourselves out or avoid sufferings, but the only way to get out of our problems is to humble ourselves in all situations. I am amazed at how Paul embraced his imprisonment, how he acknowledges that this is God's will and accepts his imprisonment as beneficial to the advancement of the kingdom of God. And how he readily continues to advance the gospel even in prison - to the Praetorian guard and eventually his household! How humbling it is for a leader of Israel, a Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee to be doing this...
Paul continues to set an example that he has count all things as loss, for he do not want any confidence in the flesh. Paul tells them to rejoice, avoiding those who have confidence in their flesh and to count all things loss so that they may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering, leading to participation in Christ's death and resurrection. (Phil 3:1-11)
I learned that we cannot put our confidence in our flesh, we cannot! We cannot put confidence in ANYTHING that we have done, even if its something I am born with, or something that I had put a lot of efforts in, or even the fruits I see in my disciples. All these are not done by me but by God.
The lecturer Dr Chris from the East School of Theology teaches and I agree with experience, "when we have confidence in our flesh, it will lead us to have a critical spirit and would eventually kill the joy in our spirit and will affect our life and ministry."
The goal is to be faithful, not to get results.
For Faithfulness means being obedient to God and taking the initiative to do things to our best [To conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel - Phil 1:27], and learning when to say “that’s all. God loves me so much and He’ll take care of it.”
God’s doing it and you’re not. We don’t do anything the Lord doesn’t.
For those who have not read the book of Philippians in depth, I do encourage you to read it and meditate on it.. its a great book to learn from! :)
1) Paul thanks God for the Philippians participation in the gospel, assuring them of future perfection and praying for their growth in love so that they can approve that which is excellent, leading them to being sincere and blameless (1:3-11)
2) Paul’s imprisonment has led to great progress in the gospel, the Praetorian guards having heard and the Roman Christians sharing the Word, leading to Paul’s convictions that this will lead to his deliverance, necessitating his determination to stay in the flesh and continue in his state. (1:12-26)
3) Paul asks the Philippians to stand firm in unity, not being alarmed by oppositions as God has granted us suffering from which we escape if we humble ourselves the way Jesus did and experience the exaltation of God as did Jesus (1:27-2:11)
4) So work out your salvation, with an attitude opposed to grumbling, as God is waking these things in you (2:12-18)
5) Paul sends Timothy, a faithful worker and Epaphroditus who is distress and because they know he was sick and needs to be held in high regard as he almost died doing what the Philippians did not do (2:19-30)
6) Paul tells them to rejoice, avoiding those who have a confidence in the flesh and to count all things loss so that they may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering, leading to participation in His death and resurrection. (3:1-11)
7) Paul says he forgets the past and presses on to maturity, exhorting them to do the same as there are others, enemies of Christ, whose end is destruction, whereas the readers are destined to conformity of their bodies to glory (3:12-21)
8) So stand firm by rejoicing, fore-bearing, praying rather than worrying, and letting your mind dwell on things worthy of praise and the God of peace will be with you (4:1-9)
9) Paul says though he is content and can do without the Philippians contribution, they have blessed themselves and Paul through the gift (4:10-20)
Studying the book of Philippians in much detail in the past one week in a theology class has brought much light to me, what it truly means to rejoice in the Lord. I now see sufferings differently, that it is for us to embrace to grow to reach true perfection when the day arrives.
Surely it takes great art and much effort to truly embrace sufferings with joy and thanksgiving, without grumbling and complains (Phil 2:14-15) as Paul has told the church of Philippi not to. But clearly Paul is a typical example of how one can truly master this art, closest to perfection – and still not perfected [Philippians 3:12] and it is truly humbling for me to know this man through the word of God.
I learned that sufferings aka tribulations are good for our spiritual walk. We should not try to get ourselves out or avoid sufferings, but the only way to get out of our problems is to humble ourselves in all situations. I am amazed at how Paul embraced his imprisonment, how he acknowledges that this is God's will and accepts his imprisonment as beneficial to the advancement of the kingdom of God. And how he readily continues to advance the gospel even in prison - to the Praetorian guard and eventually his household! How humbling it is for a leader of Israel, a Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee to be doing this...
Paul continues to set an example that he has count all things as loss, for he do not want any confidence in the flesh. Paul tells them to rejoice, avoiding those who have confidence in their flesh and to count all things loss so that they may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering, leading to participation in Christ's death and resurrection. (Phil 3:1-11)
I learned that we cannot put our confidence in our flesh, we cannot! We cannot put confidence in ANYTHING that we have done, even if its something I am born with, or something that I had put a lot of efforts in, or even the fruits I see in my disciples. All these are not done by me but by God.
The lecturer Dr Chris from the East School of Theology teaches and I agree with experience, "when we have confidence in our flesh, it will lead us to have a critical spirit and would eventually kill the joy in our spirit and will affect our life and ministry."
The goal is to be faithful, not to get results.
For Faithfulness means being obedient to God and taking the initiative to do things to our best [To conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel - Phil 1:27], and learning when to say “that’s all. God loves me so much and He’ll take care of it.”
God’s doing it and you’re not. We don’t do anything the Lord doesn’t.
For those who have not read the book of Philippians in depth, I do encourage you to read it and meditate on it.. its a great book to learn from! :)
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