Lesson #4: There’s no place like home

After 5 hours of dark road, loneliness and creepy self-talk, I was finally home. The cliche “there’s no place like home” took its new meaning that night. Indeed, home feels safer, lovelier and happier than any road trip.

I have a favorite song when I was a kid. It says, "This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through."

Come to think of it, the reality is, this world is just 65 years (or less) for me. I'll be spending my entire eternity somewhere else.

We just finished a message series at Grace Place, our "not your typical" church in Makati, called "30 days to live". It challenged us to live a life as if you only have 30 days to live because "life is just a breath" and "a mist that goes in an instant".

If my life is just a preparation for eternity, I should not waste it. I should say the words God wants me to say, do the things that God prepared for me to do, and live the life that God expects me to live.

Sometimes, when I encounter problems, I feel like I want to just disappear. Be a "Jumper". Teleport to heaven -- where disappointments, heartaches and discouragements were just a word in the dictionary. But then again, pain and sufferings are temporary, come to think of it. Heaven provides hope. The hope that when everything is said and done, Jesus will welcome me one of these days saying "Well done, my good and faithful servant".

Are you excited to be home? If not, you should know why. 

Lesson #3: Silence speaks a thousand words

This road trip is the first where I drove without turning on the radio. My cellphone was turned off, too. It’s just me, myself and God. And the sound of the tires. And the engine. For 5 hours, it’s silent.

During these hours alone with God, he spoke to me in a bunch of words. Ok, it’s not like a creepy audible voice from heaven, I don’t even want to experience that. But it’s like God speaking and conversing to me through my heart and spirit. I can feel his presence comforting me, teaching me, filling my thoughts with his thoughts. I talk to him. I listen. This thing do not happen every time.

This experience reminds me the importance of being silent. In the city where noise is part of the lifestyle -- TV, movie, mall, car stereo, the internet at work and at home -- it’s almost impossible to be quiet and listen to God speak.

God said, “Be still and know that I am God”. Most of the times, the reason why we found ourselves helpless and far from God is because of the noise around us. Literally and figuratively. The noise distracts us. We don't have time for God. We have a bunch of reasons not to be in the presence of God. The reality is, whatever religious background you found yourself growing into, our situations are similar -- we consistently run away from God while he consistently run after us.

Silence speaks a thousand words. If we will just shut up and listen, we're realize how passionately in-love God is with us. He'll tell us that he moved mountains just to reach for us. No, I meant he moved heaven and earth. That's what Jesus did when he, being God became a man just so man can relate with God.

Shutting up may mean distorting your routine to accommodate God. You can read the Bible and pray in the morning or come with fellow believers and worship God on weekends. Whatever it is, just shut up and listen. You'll hear God. Ok, not the audible voice. But you'll see, just try it.

Lesson #2: Don’t let fear cripple you

A few kilometers after I felt alone and scared on that part of North Luzon Expressway, I saw that what I’m afraid of can really happen.

The cars were slowing down. I realized that in the midst of that long, dark road, an accident happened. It seemed to me, I was just a few minutes late of being part of that accident. It was fresh. A collision between a Saulog bus and a van had just occurred. The van was totally wrecked and I know somebody must have died inside. The bus filled with passengers ripped its front.

The scene suddenly crippled me. I was terrified. I slowed down. I couldn’t take the left lane when I should be overtaking. Fear hand-tied me.  It took a while before I realize that I’m going too slow that cars behind me are honking already.

When fear of failing sets in, what do you do? When you see that somebody who did it just failed, will you try for your self?

We encounter these questions in a lot of different ways. It can be a decision to leave your job and start your own business. Or a career shift. Or a spiritual decision. Or for some, marrying. Failures in the past, prospects of failing in the future, failures by people we know -- these things scare us.

Some mushy quotes says, "It's better to love and fail than never love at all". Ahwww....

Really, it speaks of lot of truth, not only on being in-love. It's better to try new things and fail than regret it for not trying for the rest of your life. Some people might have failed, but why can't you do better? You may have failed in the past, but sure you learned from it. And -- this one's so me -- the future is a whole lot scary. The fear of the unknown. But what the heck -- who knows the future except God!?

Speaking of God knowing the future, he also knows what's best for us. So, if you think that God is leading you to do what's best for you, go for it. Don't let fear cripple you. And me.

As I was thinking about this question, I thought about the 3 most important aspects of my life: family, church and business.

I thought, what would I do with Team Sparrow if I only have 30 days to live? Shall I train more programmers? Shall I check if sales are hitting targets and make sure that they will even after I die?

And then I thought about Grace Place, the "vehicle" that God used for me to release my passion to tell others about the unconditional love of Jesus. Shall I train more leaders? Shall I finish up the manuals and the leadership materials that are long overdue?

The more I keep thinking about these, and try to fit these things in my last 30 days, the more I realize that, in as much important as these are in my life right now, these will only overwhelm my schedule. Then I thought about my family.

I realized that if I only have 30 days to live, everthing boils down to how important my family is. The business will run without me, it can auto pilot. The growing ministry at Grace Place will run without me. In the first place, it is not MY church, it is GOD'S. God will place great leaders, better leaders to run his church when I'm gone.

My last 30 days will be spent with my wife, my son and my folks in the province. I'll spend every minute of my life bringing Joy and Johann to the best places that they want to be. I'll bring them to every mall in the city (FYI, malling is my family's past time), I will fix my eyes on whatever they do and fix my ears on whatever they say. I'll spend some of the remaining days with my dad and mom and siblings. I'll tell them how they have greatly impacted my life, how they have become an inspiration and a driving factor in my pursuit of excellence.

What's yours?

After we launched 30daystolive.ph last Tuesday, a bunch of guys have already submitted their "plans" for their last 30 days. Here are my favorites:

Spend last days (a week, perhaps) at the beach, with my whole family.  Hopefully, my sis can come home from New Zealand (or I can go there!!).  Go swimming, running, painting, dancing – weeeeeee!!! - Gayle

I will resign from my job to prepare everything (for my family). - Liza

If only I have 30 days to live I would make everyone around me happy… - Infinity

I will talk less and listen more. investing my life to people. - Glenn

lahat ng oras nsa tabi aku ng mga anak ko..mag lalaro kmi hangang mkatulog cla..rerecord ku sa video lahat ng gagawin nmin..paparamdam ku sa kanila na mahal ko cla… -Mhike

I've noticed that when it comes to using the last days of our lives, the focus becomes less of ourselves and more of our love ones.

I'm going to discuss more about this later this week and next week. For now, keep your thoughts coming. Think: "If I have 30 days to live, what ONE thing would I do for the rest of my remaining days?" and post it in our website 30daystolive.ph

Oh, talking. We looovveee talking. I mentioned yesterday that we crave attention, we want to be heard -- always. This is also particularly present in a love relationship. When you are on a date, you try to open up as much information about your self as possible. The more you  share information, the more the relationship gets deeper.

Unfortunately, though, in our love relationship with Jesus, this is almost always not present. "But I do pray -- during meals, before I sleep, and sometimes the rosary"

My wife once asked her friend during a discussion about her problem, "Do you pray?"

Friend said, "Yes I do."

"Do you pray as if you are talking with a friend?"

Silence, and then, "No. How do you do that?"

Apparently, our general view of prayer is an organized, repetitive and sometimes flowery set of words. I grew up in a very traditional church where prayers include words such as "thou", "thee", "thou art", "speaketh"... As if we were praying to impress God with our old English!  Most of you can also relate with the rosary. I once studied in a Roman Catholic school in high school. We were taught how to make and pray the rosary.  While I sincerely and honestly doesn't have anything against praying the rosary, I just think that there is a better way to pray than saying memorized, repetitive words.

Prayer is like a friendly talk with Jesus. You tell him your life's concerns, your dreams, your struggles, your heart aches. Prayer is not just about telling him what you want and what you need. It is also the time where you unload yourself to him. While others may suggest a format in your prayer, I would say, just start with a sincere talk with Jesus. Imagine him sitting beside you -- because he is! -- and start talking to him.

While the Bible is his way to talk to us, our prayer is the time when he listens to us. In your quiet time today, tell him about your successes and your failures. Ask for directions, unload your burdens to him. If Jesus indeed rose from the dead and is alive today, he is literally listening to your every word in prayer.

Listening, they say, is an art. It's almost always hard to listen. Our nature is to crave to be heard. In a relationship though, listening should be a major component. Need I explain more?

In a love relationship with Jesus, listening to what he wants to tell us on a daily basis is very important. We can hear his voice in a lot of ways:

Through a friend. Oh, yes, it happens a lot. You have a problem then suddenly, your friend drops a line and you thought it came from heaven.

Through a Sunday message. The priest or the pastor delivers a wonderful homily/sermon that strikes your heart in the middle.

Through life's circumstances. You've been running away from God. Then suddenly, you were fired at work or got sick or your broke up with your girlfriend. You have no one to turn to but God. God spoke through your life's circumstances.

While I believe that these things are actively being used by God to communicate with us, they are all subjective. How can you be sure, and I mean, really sure that your friend's advice is correct? Or your pastor didn't misinterpret the Bible as he delivered the message? Or whether your life's circumstances is a message from God and not something that you just occasionally mess up?

There is one voice that comes from God -- never subjective, always objective. The Bible. We Filipinos are aware of what the Bible is. But the question is, do we read it or do we just display it in the altar for some good luck?

I would like to suggest that reading the Bible is not only the most exciting way to listen to God as he speaks, it is also the most important component of our love relationship with Him. When we read the Bible, we get instructions from God himself. We'll know how to deal with relationships, how he loves us unconditionally, how to be blessed and bless others. It's like a Mercury Drug -- you can pick a particular medicine that corresponds to your life's disease.

Here's a challenge for you today. Yesterday, I asked you if you can spend at least 15 minutes of your time each day with God. If you have agreed and faced the challenge, I will encourage you to grab your Bible (If you don't have one yet, we can give you one when you visit Grace Place one of these Sundays, or you can grab one at the nearest National Bookstore. I suggest newer versions such as the New Living Translation). Download this 1-year Bible reading plan. If you follow this plan, you will be able to read the entire New Testament in one year. You only need 15 minutes a day to do this.

If you don't want to follow a schedule and just be free flowing, it's alright. I suggest starting with the gospel of John, then to the other gospels until you read the entire New Testament.

God wants to communicate with us. And we should listen. That's how we can grow in-love with Jesus even more.

Time together

It's called a "date" -- when two lovers spend time together strolling in the mall, eating out in a restaurant or watching a movie.  It's fun, really. In fact, I always look forward to Monday night when I date my wife, Joy. It's a perfect time for a couple, whether married or still dating, to know more about each other. This is the time where a relationship becomes deeper -- when you laugh together, cry together, share your plans and dreams with each other. In a fast-phased life we have in this city, a special time together, not just "being together" such as a married couple, is very essential.


I mentioned yesterday that Christianity is not about following a set of rules. Christianity in its real essence is simply falling in love with Jesus. Today and in a couple more days, I'm going to suggest practical ways to fall in love with Jesus on a daily basis. For today, I'm suggesting a time together.

Just like human couples, we need to spend time alone with Jesus. "But I'm going to church every Sunday. I even have a small group meeting or a Bible study group on weekdays. Isn't that considered a time with Jesus?" Yes, it is. And in fact, continue doing those because those are good.  But what I'm talking about is a time with Jesus "alone". It's you and Jesus, no other witnesses around.

Distractions are all around us. We become busy with work, relationships, even in our ministry in the church. That's why we need to set aside a time in our day where we can be "still and know that he is God". This is the time of the day when you can cry alone, listen to God as he speaks to your heart, make some life plans. This is also a time when God reveals your mistakes, when you promise to work things out according to his grace.

When I am faced with a tough decision to make, I will wait the next day for my time alone with God before I make that decision. During this time, I almost always get convictions on what to do and on what not to do.

Some people call it "quiet time", others call it "devotions". Whatever you want to call it, it simply is an allotted time for God in your schedule. It can be in the morning before you start your day or in the evening before your mind "closes shop". You choose. Some are morning persons, some are evening persons. I suggest that you choose a time of the day where your mind is most active.

How long is a typical quiet time? It depends. The more, the better, of course. But for a start, don't burden yourself. A quiet time is developed as a habit. Don't feel unspiritual if you are allotting less time at this point of your love relationship with Jesus. He understands. You will grow eventually and your time with him will increase naturally. My suggestion is, you start with 5 to 10 minutes.

Where? In a quiet place. No distraction. Just you and Jesus. It can be in your room, inside your car, or even in your bathroom! Where ever it is you chose, it just have to be a quiet place.

Here's a challenge for you today. Think of a quiet place and a 5 to 10 minute time of your day and start your quiet time with Jesus now. Just for 7 days, try it. Make it consistent. Let me know how it works out.

Tomorrow, I'll discuss some components of your quiet time that can make it more exciting.

Have you ever been in-love? Silly question, but if your answer is "no", you better stop doing what you're doing online, stop adding friends on Multiply and Friendster and start having real friends -- in person :D

Seriously now, being in-love is a real nice feeling. If you can still remember the first time you fell in-love, the indications are almost always identical among all of us. You feel happy when you see the girl/guy, you always want to see him/her, you always want to talk with him/her (telebabad during my time; today, what's the term, text-babad?)  You want to give gifts. You want to spend time together as long as possible. You value his/her opinion, always asking him/her about your plans even how petty it is.

People say, they can conquer the world if they are in-love -- against all odds. Well, who are we to judge anyone who is in-love?


Christianity, I will argue, is much like being in-love. If it doesn't make sense and you don't get the connection, hang on.

You see, we thought that being close to God is about obeying a set of rules.  If you obey the rules, you are fine with God. If you don't, then expect to see your frat brod in hell. Whatever your religious heritage is, I noticed that we all have something in common. We were given rules to follow. "Pray the rosary", "Go to church", "Follow the 10 Commandments"... the list goes on. I'm not saying these things are not good, I'm saying, if you think that Christianity is about following rules like these, you're missing the point.

Christianity is about falling in-love with Jesus.

"Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” 37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ " (Matt. 22:36, 37a NLT)

Let me tell you who this God is. He is the owner and creator of the universe. He created you, and he did it in his image. But we rebelled against him. We offended him. We sinned against him. For that, the Bible says, we deserve hell. But this God has a plan. He sent his Son Jesus to live among us. He experienced the same pain and rejection that we all are experiencing right now. He was crucified to die for the sins that we should be the one paying for. Then he rose again, went up to heaven and intercedes for us. Whenever we feel alone, he is saying, I'm alive, I'm with you. When you cry for the hurts in this life, he cries with you as he cried when his friend Lazarus died. He loves you with an unfailing love that he'd rather die than live without you.

How can you not love a God like that?

The big question is, are you in-love with Jesus? Or at least, are you falling in-love with him?

If you do, congratulations. On the other hand, as I observe, because of the brand of Christianity that we have, where other people such as Mama Mary, St. Peter, St. Lorenzo Ruiz, or Ellen White (if you know who I'm talking about) is given more recognition than Jesus, it's not unusual to realize that you don't even know who Jesus is other than his image on churches. Friends, please understand my purpose, I'm not having some religion bashing party here. I'm just trying to state the obvious to make a point.

Are you in-love with Jesus? Are you falling in-love with him on a daily basis? Do you crave for a special time with him? Do you want to know his will in your life? Do you talk with him on a personal level? The answer to these questions determine whether you're on the right track in your relationship with God or not. This week, I'm going to suggest practical steps that will make your "love relationship" with Jesus to flourish.

My ideal Christmas season

While the following ideas are almost impossible to happen in this commercialized, post-modern "it's all about me" generation, let me just end this short series by how the story of the grinch ended -- a happy one.

I'm dreaming -- not of a "white Christmas" -- but a Christmas season where:

1. The focus is Jesus.

Stripped down, simple yet celebrative and contemplative. Everything is focused on what happened on that night in Bethlehem.

We thought that Easter is the most important aspect of our Christianity since it is the season where we commemorate the suffering and death of Jesus. I will argue that it's not. God's sacrifice started on Christmas day when Jesus decided to become a creature even if he is the creator.

My all time favorite illustration to show this fact is to say that it would be humiliating for human beings like us to become ants. That, impossible as it may seem to happen, is only a transformation of a higher form of creature to a lower form of creature. What Jesus did is different and more humiliating than we can ever imagine. He was the creator who became a creature. Everything is done on Christmas day so we can have Easter -- when Jesus would die for your sins and my sins so that upon having a relationship with him and accepting him as Lord and Savior of our life, we can live with him forever.

I believe that the reason why for most, Christmas is about everything else other than Jesus is because of lack of relationship with him. The Christmas season could have been the best time of the year to remember that.

2. We actually give without thinking of receiving

Gift giving in it real essence is just emulating what God did. "For God so loved the world that he gave..." (John 3:16a)

What if we give gifts without thinking of what we can receive? What if, instead of giving well-wrapped gifts to your office mates, friends and relatives, we spend everything that we normally spend during Christmas season to buy food and clothing for the poor -- people that doesn't have any capability whatsoever to give a gift in return?

God is the model of this. When he gave Jesus to us, he wasn't expecting anything in return. The Bible said, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". In the book of Isaiah, it is said that our most sincere attempt to do good is as filthy as a rug in the eyes of God. Why? Because we are all sinners and God is holy, holy, holy. How then can God expect anything from us?

That's why when Jesus came on Christmas eve as a gift from God, He is not thinking of anything in return. He did it because he love us. He did it because there's no other way than Jesus. He did it because he is our only chance.

How will you respond to his love?

This Christmas, my prayer is for us to go back to it's origin -- the very reason for this act of grace by God, and sincerely search our hearts and answer that simple yet profound question.

Continuing from being a grinch yesterday, let me spill out the next thing that makes me hate the Christmas season.

The traditions and peripherals

If you still have not noticed, Christmas has become all about snow flakes, Rudolf the red nose reindeer, Santa, Jingle bells, Frosty the snow man and a whole lot of stuff and characters

Not that these things and traditions are bad, but I just don't get the connection between these things and the "real reason for the season".

The most disappointing fact is that there are actually a lot of people who don't want to equate the season to Christ anymore. This is very apparent in western countries, at least in the US as I know -- the seat of post-modern thinking. They even refuse to greet "Merry Christmas" and instead use "Happy Holidays". Have you noticed this in movies and marketing materials on TV and print ads? When they say "Happy Holidays", they mean, I don't care about the reason why you celebrate Christmas because I have my reasons, but don't "force me into this Christ thing".

Sigh...

We lost the meaning of Christmas, really.

The gifts, the parties, the tree, the lights -- all these are meaningless if the center of the season isn't Christ-mas.

Five days before Christmas and you wouldn't believe that I'm about to spoil the fun with this series of blog posts. I just want to let the grinch out of me and tell you about the things I hate about this season. Let me start with this:

The whole gift receiving thing

Take note that I didn't say "gift giving", that's for a reason. And let me tell  you why our generation has screwed up the Christmas season big time because of this practice.

* What do we teach our kids and what had we learned when we were kids? Gift receiving, that's right! We are told that if you are good, Santa -- actually that's mom and dad, sorry for the spoiler for those of you who still do not know -- will give you gifts. And so the kids are excited for the gifts that they will receive. What happens when dad is fired from his job and the kid will not be receiving a gift this time around? How will you explain to a kid that Christmas is NOT about receiving gifts anyway?

* Exchange gifts happen during Christmas parties. We have "quotas" for the gift price, right? Come to think of it, the focus is the kind of gift that someone will receive. It has to be within the range.

* And yes, families, friends and loved ones, we all give gifts to one another this season. But this is what I have noticed during the gift buying process (does not apply to all, but this is a general observation) 1) we only give gifts to those who we consciously or unconsciously believe we will receive gifts from, and 2) we are so conscious about the price of the gift, thinking that if the receiving person notices that gift is cheap, s/he might be offended. On both cases, the focus is receiving.

Cliche as it is, Christmas is not about receiving, rather it's about giving. The reason why we celebrate Christmas is because of the "Christ" who was sent as a gift of God to man. "For God so loved the world that he gave..." I'm going to talk more about this in part 3 of this short grinch-like series of posts.

Let's contrast false-esteem and spiritual-esteem:

False-Esteem: I do good things, therefore God accepts me.
Spiritual-Esteem: I'm accepted because of what Jesus did for me, therefore I do good things.

False-Esteem: I try hard, so God loves me.
Spiritual-Esteem: God loves me radically, so I try hard.

False-Esteem: I produce, therefore God is pleased.
Spiritual-Esteem: God is pleased with me in Christ, therefore He produces through me.

False-Esteem: Self is the center.
Spiritual-Esteem: God is the center.

What is the biggest thing God has shown you this week through this series of posts?

 

Self-esteem puts more focus on self than on Christ.

For me, to have a strong self-esteem:

• I acquire an ungodly competitive spirit, measuring success against other people's successes (or failures).
• I become easily threatened.
• I become hypercritical of others.
• I'll manipulate things for the 'win.'
• I perform for people rather than for God.

Spiritual-esteem (being esteemed by Christ rather than people) empowers me to:

• Cheer for other people when they succeed and be honestly sad for them when they fail.
  
• Be secure with what God is doing through me (or not doing through me).
• Defend other people rather than criticize.
• Live with integrity.
• Live for God's pleasure and approval.

God, may we never strive for a strong self-esteem. Empower us to find all our worth in You, Your truth, and Your name.

How are you growing in spiritual esteem?

Let's review the last post's thought:

You are not what you did, what you do, or what you are going to do. You are who Christ says you are.

In life, try to remember:

• What you do is a result of who you are in Christ.
• What you do doesn't define who you are.
• Don't confuse the "who" with the "do."

You are not successful because:

• You graduated cum laude.
  
• You went over the sales target this month
  
• You got promoted.
  
• Your business is earning.
  
• You're married to the hotest girl in town (I should say this is the hardest thought to fight against :D )
  

You are successful because of who you are in Christ. You please God by obeying him, not performing up to your personal expectations.

To get worth, feel successful or to find your identity, do your run to your accomplishments?

(I recently made a series of posts on Identity -- 1, 2, 3 -- but this series of posts is a notch higher. Credit goes to Craig Groeschel for this series. He is kind of like one of my leadership mentor on the web. He recently sent this series with the same title but targeting leaders in particular. I thought of converting the idea for the "regular guy" in all of us.)

When people talk about "esteem", it usually has "self" before it. I've heard some say that to be successful in life, one has to have a good self-esteem. I'd argue for another kind of esteem which we can call "spiritual-esteem".

Let's define spiritual esteem this way: To find our identity in Christ, not ourselves, our performance, or our achievements.

In life, we often find our worth in one of two things:

• What we've accomplished.
• What people think about us.

I've had this problem in years.

When I receive good grades, I felt good about myself.
When I go below what is expected of me, I felt bad about myself.

When my boss commended me, I felt such a great worker.
When my boss reprimands me, I felt lousy.

In business, when things are going well, I feel a better entrepreneur.
When numbers are low, I feel I'm a failure.

I even have this problem as a leader at Grace Place.
When attendance is high, I, as one of the leaders, feel successful.
If attendance dropped, I feel like a looser.

No amount of "self-esteem" could fix my problem. I needed (and still need) true spiritual esteem. I need to know "who I am in Christ" and find my security in Him alone.

You are not what you did, what you do, or what you are going to do. You are who Christ says you are.

In what areas of your life do you need better “spiritual esteem?”

Thorn in the flesh

Have you ever felt insecure because of how you look? Of your inability to speak the way "the other guy speaks"? Of your lack of talents as much as that athlete back in college has? Do you feel like you're not smart enough, not good enough, not strong enough, not beautiful/handsome enough?

These insecurities pull us down. It prevents us from pursuing our goals. It gets rid of our confidence.

The result: we run towards false security. Ladies run to Bello, men resort to arrogance to hide their insecurities.

Sufficient Grace

How can God's grace be sufficient in the midst of these? His grace is, because you are. Yes, you are sufficient with whatever you have. You see, we are all created differently. We are wired in such a way that we can be best in an area where God wants us to be our best. Some may not be physically attractive but are great thinkers. Some are not academically excellent, but oozing with talents. You can't have it all, in case you haven't notice.

His grace is sufficient. If you feel you're not being good enough in one area of your life, get this: He loves you the way you are. If Jesus loves you the way you are, it tell me that you should love yourself the way you are, too! Let not your incapability hinder you from pursuing what God has placed in your heart. Be confident in the Lord.

The thorn in the flesh

An irresponsible husband. A nagging wife. An uncaring parent. A dishonest friend. The list goes on.

We are a relational being. God wired us that way. Unfortunately, it's our relationships that hurt us the most. The closer you are to that person, the painful it gets whenever we are betrayed, hurt, abandoned. You sometimes feel like giving up on that person. How many times that wanted to say "that's enough!"

If there's any thorn in the flesh that has to capability to pull us down emotionally and spiritually, it's our relational problems.

Sufficient grace

In this life we will suffer. The question is not IF we will suffer, the question is WHEN. We are surrounded by a bunch of people who are sinners. Heck, you yourself is a sinner! People fail us in as much as we fail them. The result -- relational sufferings.

The good news is that God's grace is sufficient to keep us on our feet. In our relationships, we are called to sacrifice as Christ did. I'm not talking about being a martyr. I'm talking about suffering with Jesus for the sake of the people we love. Let God transform your character in the midst of your suffering. Let every suffering teach us that we can only depend on God, not in any relationship this world offers.

Salubsob.

That's how we call it back in my province. A salubsob is a small foreign object, most often a tiny wood that I normally acquire while playing around the field. I was always a victim of this when I was a kid. I would come home limping my feet because of a thorn in my flesh. It hurts. Seriously. Ironically, the smaller the salubsob, the more painful it gets. It would disable me from my normal childhood activities until my mom would take her time to get rid of it.

Apostle Paul talks about his own thorn in the flesh. He said "So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud." (2 Cor. 12:7) It was never said what that thorn in the flesh is. It could be his physical handicaps -- he has some eye problem. Or maybe his inability to speak clearly -- he wasn't a good speaker. Or it may be the persecution that he is experiencing.

He begged God to take it away. God said no, let it stay, "My grace is sufficient for you" (v 8).

Have you ever thought of your own thorn in the flesh? What is that thing that's hurting you? Are you asking God to take it away and he seems quiet?

It may just be God's way of dealing with our pride. God allows pain and insufficiency so we can realize that He is all we need - that Jesus is enough! That his grace his sufficient. That depending upon our own efforts is futile, we need God to get us through.

This week I'll try to post a series of blogs that talk about our common thorns in the flesh. Let's get practical and go really deep into the real life hurts that we all are experiencing. Join me in this journey this week.

If you are a follower of Jesus, whenever the enemy of God attacks you and your self image, remember that you have been redeemed and has been forgiven of your past, present and even of your future sins. Jesus does not condemn you, he never will. No matter what happened in the past, you are accepted. You don’t know what the future holds, but you are secured. You are God’s workmanship. You are important to him and to the body of Christ, the church. God has freed you from the bondage of sin therefore you are free to do good works that you have not even imagined.

You are an heir to his kingdom. You have a special gift that the Holy Spirit has given you when you believed. You are complete in Christ. Yes, he alone completes you — not a man or a woman in a relationship, not your job, not your power, not your possession, only in Christ that you can find completeness.

If you have not yet started a relationship with Jesus, and I’m not talking about that cultural, I-go-to-church-every-other-Sunday-therefore-I-have-a-relationship-with-Christ type of thing,  -- no, the kind that really surrenders your life to your new “boss”, think about this: You are valuable to him. Jesus abandoned heaven to become man and lived among us, died a painful death just so that you can be with him forever. And even if, for instance, you’re the only one who sinned, he will still do that and die for you, just like that shepherd in Jesus’ story who left 99 of his sheep to find 1 that is lost. That’s how important you are. Say “Yes!” to Jesus and redeem your true identity in him.