Beware of Boredom

An important thing to remember is praising God through both bad, good and average times. We tend to be extreme. When times are excellent, we either praise God because we're glad we have everything and are happy, or we forget that all we have is God blessed and given. Similarly, when we're going through a stormy period, we either turn back to God to ask for deliverance, or we forget completely that God is in control and flail our arms over the stormy waves, desperately hoping that the storm will calm soon. It is probably during boredom that we have to be the most careful. It is in the average times that it is probably most difficult to remember God. We get comfortable, but not too comfortable to be thankful. We are tired, but not too tired to ask for help. In all things, praise the Lord.

Easier said than done.

I'm going to repeat that.

Easier said than done.

Let everything come back to God. Everything, after all, is about God. (Well its about seeking happiness and pleasure, but that is exactly where God comes in.)

Another way I can illustrate my point is, in a marriage, how does the couple avoid getting tired of each other? Many divorces happen because of boredom. The husband forgets what initially attracted him to his wife. Or the wife forgets what she saw in her husband.

Yes, I know that many divorces happen because of a third party, but that reinforces my point. There would be no third party if there was no boredom.

How to be wary of boredom? Everyone is different, but fundamentally, spending time with each other never hurts. Acknowledge why you care for and love the other, and constantly communicate. Pray together, remember what you are together as one body. Instead of looking at the huge flaws of the other, remember that we all have imperfections. Remember that you, too have imperfections, and God gave you each other to build each other up, not tear each other down. Help each other to erase those flaws, not condemn each other because of them. Understand the perspective of the other, never let their feelings slip.

Similar treatment is of course very important for maintaining any relationship be it with friends or family. Its definitely not easy and most of the time we're just so frustrated or tired. We also can't understand why we have to be the understanding one- why never the other? Why can't they understand me? Why do I have to be the one taken advantage of? Why can't they be mature?

Is the adult expected to know how to clean up a mess he or she has spilt? Is a toddler expected to know? If you know better, God has given you that wisdom, and it is your responsibility to act accordingly. I know its difficult and frustrating, but it will be worth it.

Solitary

There are instances in which being alone is a good thing. Of course there's a flip side to being by yourself.

Solitary moments can help to refine us, and can help in the building of our relationships with God. Spending a few minutes alone to meditate or just talk to God does wonders at times.

But then there's the loneliness we all dread. The moments where we yearn for other human contact. We feel so alone in life that we are driven nearly ballistic. How do we seek comfort and peace at these times?

We know we're never alone. This is something we're all been taught over and over since we could sing "Jesus loves me." We all acknowledge His (God's) omnipresence. So how do we apply the theory we know so well into life? We know a lot of things. Most Christians who are born into Christian families know the basic black and whites. However, hitting teenage years and beyond, we all know its not as simple as that when we're out there in the world.

Acknowledge God's control in and over your life. Through all situations, even if you're having the worse day ever, praise Him. He's still the almighty. He's still the magnificent. He's still wonderful and unfathomable. He never let you down. He still Loves. He still is love.

A Little Note

I may not have mentioned this before: I do know that all the topics I've written about have been thought up already and some are extremely common. What idea hasn't been thought of before? Anyways, my point was, and is, to remind. These are some things that do come up in my daily life, and I've found that little reminders from blogs to post-its in my agenda or locker does help. After all, we are very prone to forgetting and I can't say that I remember everything I've learnt.

Just want to remind us all, (including myself) Let the doors to your heart be open to the Lord in all situations and seasons!

God Bless!

Why are We Here?

Do you ever find yourself somewhere and wonder what you're even doing there? What's the reason for which you do things? What's the reason behind your choices?

Shouldn't we have a reason for which we do things? Shouldn't our words, actions, our intents, out efforts, our emotions, shouldn't there be more depth and meaning to them than "I just felt like it?" Are we really that bored with life and do we really have that much time to just fill it in with things we aren't even that interested in or eager to learn about?

Are you there because your friends like it? Are you there because of family? Or maybe its just customary. Maybe everyone will ask why if you're not there. Do you have an issue with those confrontational questions? Maybe its a problem with just saying you didn't want to go, didn't feel it your place to be there.

Don't be scared to question. Dare to ask why. Its not necessarily a process that pushes you further from God. It can actually bring you closer. Better to ask and discover why, and thus know exactly why you're doing this, then to just go on living "safely" and being limited in your understanding.

It is probably when we stop thinking about why, stop thinking about whether we should be there or not that it is the most dangerous. It shows that we no longer care, we've become bored. A resounding NO, I do not belong there, and its not for the best that I am there, would be more welcome an answer. And if the answer is YES, let it be from the very depths of your spirit, knowing full well what your "yes" emphasizes, and that you are there for a purpose, and God has a path and destiny for you.

Discover the exact reason why you choose your faith. How can you love and worship when you do not even know the purpose for which you do so?

When Worship becomes a Rerun

You walk into Church, or any Christian meeting. The music comes on. You sing, while wondering casually when it would end so you may sit down, or tell your friend beside you about the latest gossip you heard about a classmate at school.

Rewind.

Even if you walk into a Christian meeting without feeling the least bit like saying "Hallelujah Blessed be Your name!", that doesn't mean You can't.

Perhaps its at the lowest moments that we actually can praise the most graciously. Some of my lowest and most down moments turn to wonder at the majesty of our Lord.

Here are three different kinds of "I don't feel like worshiping" results. There are more, but here are some I happened to have observed.
1) "I'll worship anyways" because its what I'm 'supposed' to do.
2) "I'll worship anyways" because God is still in control, and My Heart is still open to His blessing, He is still the greatest of All and worthy of all praise. Let Him move my heart today and may I lay all my troubles upon Him.
3) "I'm not worshiping today. I don't feel like it. After all, why be hypocritical?"

Play.

When is Worship just for the sake of it?

Is worship that 30 minutes you stand in front of the band/choir and sing the songs you've heard over and over you're just sick of singing them? Can you worship without singing? Can you worship with your life? How?

What do you want to do.

Dating

I'm going to put the subject of this post right into the open. Dating in High school.

You can already hear it. I'm going to say you shouldn't. Well... you shouldn't.

Before you close this window, I'm going to interject and say, I understand perfectly why a teenager would want to start dating. Don't misunderstand me. I'm a teenager too, and I go through the same lonely feelings and sometimes I feel like I want to love seriously as well. After all, lots of other teenagers do it, why can't I? Aren't I as mature, if not, more mature than some of my friends?

Well, be honest with yourself. Would you say that you are more mature now than you were... oh about three years ago? It does wonders to wait to be even more mature before you start to date.

Three years ago, you might have felt bitterly towards someone else for contradicting, or not agreeing with you, possibly dissing you and your opinion. However, today, you might ponder deeper if a person did that to you. Is she having problems with something? At home? With other friends? Is she going through a hard time? We become wiser and more sensitive and sensible with time.

Over the next three years, what is the probability that you will gain even more understanding and ability to handle situations? What is the possibility of you gaining even more control over your emotions? You might have great control over your emotions now, compared to you going into desperation and hopelessness at the breaking of a friendship when you were twelve. (Not that you would be unaffected by your friend's departure now, but you would now probably try to patch things up sensibly and confront the problem trying to resolve it, thus strengthening understanding and relationship.) So you would probably gain even more control over your emotions in another few years time.

Don't we learn from our mistakes? From experience? Yes and no. We do, but do we humans really really have to learn everything the hard way? Truly, the younger you are, the more impact it will make in your future. It affects our society, how we think of a relationship, a marriage. You can gain so much more if you had a little patience!

I'm not saying its easy. No one wants to feel like they're the only one who doesn't have a partner. But keeping it at friendship isn't that hard is it? Getting to know each other better, seeing the worst and best sides of each other. Loving each other as friends. You can have just as much fun with friends, and friendships do last longer, and hold stronger.

Wait a little longer. Its worth it.

Ability of perfection

Sometimes you may feel that you have zero ability or no good points at all. Sometimes, we compare ourselves to that bright sunshiny girl who’s perfect. She’s pretty, smart, enthusiastic; everything everyone would want to be friends with. The kind of people who make us feel extremely underachieved.

I guess there’s only one thing to do in these kinds of circumstances.

Don’t be jealous of her. You know that when God gives something to one person, He’ll give something else to another. It doesn't even seem like this is the case 99.9% of the time. However, we do tend to overlook things in our own lives.

You have more in you than you realize. God has blessed each of us with much. And when you find out your potential, don't go around boasting about it. Use it to the best of magnifying God's glory.

And if you ever find out, that sunshiny girl, isn't as sunshiny as she really seems. Sounds like the typical drama, but it does happen in real life at times, and of course, we all know no one's perfect. And even then, don't try to pull that out of the closet. Its okay.

God has His amazing ways of surprising us. Especially when we're feeling lowest in our lives.

Making Jokes Concerning Others.

This is very basic, but its something we tend to overlook. Well, we tend to overlook a lot of things that have been hammered into our heads over and over. It happens. Plus the added factor of new perspectives. So a reminder can't hurt.

Be mature enough to know when its enough. Usually, its alright to make it a joke if the person you’re making a jest of is laughing WITH you. I know this may sound ridiculous, and you’d probably think (DUH) that’s so obvious, but some people really don’t get this. If the person displays a hurt reaction, or responds angrily, its a good idea to stop; the person doesn’t like it.

A joke is all in good fun, but when it concerns the feelings of someone else, show some sensibility.