personally

was reading up on the book of joel today.
its an interesting read and i thought i was reading isaiah as it was somewhat similar lol
a prophet/messanger to share the news (both good and bad) takes some courage (esp for the latter)
but as i thought through, having a burden was what birthed the passion/compassion for the matter at hand
and that is something i want. a burden. (yes i've shared this many times lol)
 
anyways, last friday's unit meet David shared on the topic of suffering which was an interesting topic.
questions like this came out: if God is good why is there suffering?
my group's (yeah we broke up into smaller groups to discuss) take was that if there wasn't suffering, we wouldn't know what is good.
we wouldn't be contented. 
a key verse that was mentioned was rom8:28 (my personal verse!) 
 
that behind each period of suffering is purpose from God. 
how we go through and make sense and find out what is God telling us in these times are crucial as it can make us or break us. 
 
i thought back about how joel talked about the calamity at hand and the day of judgement coming, 
a time of suffering was at hand and one that is even greater was approaching.
i pondered at these "bad news".
are they bad news? 
i realised it was not.
it was God's warning all right, but it was done out of His love for us.
if not, God wouldn't even warn of the impending disaster and such and destroyed the nation.
He warned them to change. why? because they were going downhill and wanted them to come back to Him. (Father knows best)
He warned them, not just to scare them but in hopes that they will come back and repent.
that one in a million chance was a hundred percent chance to God. and He was going to take that risk and even follow through to allow sufferings to happen.
 
going back to fri's topic on suffering. 
i believe disasters (eg. tsunami) happen as a huge HEY! from God. Him waving His hands at us.
For us to notice Him. to announce to the world that there indeed is a God (or a greater power). 
 
i may be wrong, but whats your stand on suffering? :)
 
God is so fiercly committed to us that He'd do anything just to gain our slightest attention.
 
as a Christ follower, i believe we have to see sufferings as a period of moulding and that there is a greater purpose behind and beyond.
 
 
a thought on Japan came to mind lol
like how they're always earthquake prone (God's wake up call?)
they've learnt to work around it and built earthquake proof buildings. numbing themselves.
but then again not only Japan but many of us has desensitized ourselves. 
what can wake us up?
 
 
today's day at work was a-ok.
i'm learning to change how i view work as i realised i've become very bitter over the year that i've worked for my company.
i become hostile and arrogant towards my boss and his wife. easily irritable and such.
i repented and am working on it.
why i've become bitter?
due to the many sacrifices i've done for work. i've blamed work so many times but it was (many a times) my own choice as well.
i felt like they owe me back for what i've done and have blamed them for what i've become. (dry season spiritually, neglected friends, family and ministry)
i do enjoy working with them honestly and it has grown me much as well.
asking God back for that joy :)