ok.. lots of things been happening. i don't have time to gather my thoughts properly and sit down and put it down. plus there are some things i cannot write down yet due to 'information cannot be released to the public yet'.
anyway, a freak accident that i was at church on monday to attend ajith fernando's talk on 'Joy and Pain'. don't quote me and say what master wugui said in kungfu panda, 'there are not accidents'. was there for practise at 6.30-7.00. and sam asked me whether i'm going.. oh well.. since i'm already in church...
i'll just type what i wrote down. its bits and pieces.
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At the start, when we are younger, we have joy. and as we go through life and its knocks, we get bitter and depressed at the end. it is normal and there are many different reactions to these 'knocks'.
Joy & pain - both can coexist together.
Dominant theme in the old testament is joy. there are 23 different words for joy.
Rom 14:17, John 16:33.
The joy of the Lord is our strength. when the joy goes, the strength goes.
people seem to not want joy but other things. success, sexual conquest, material properity, revenge, fame. wanting the satisfaction of getting what you want than joy. e.g. you want your revenge than joy.
Zephaniah 3:17
quoting someone: I have hit rock bottom. And the rock is solid.
- referring that after everything gives way and you fall and hit the bottom, it may be hard, but that is God's foundation.
asking God for help when in suffering/conflict is a sign that you are still seeking God.
joy is not satisfaction or pleasure.
people are chasing or trying to create substitutes for joy.
but you don't create joy. you express joy that is already there.
-expression of joy, not substitute of joy.
joy is the business of heaven.
the comfort is greater than the suffering.
God's love is greater.
but we must allow God to minister to us.
we have to open up, express, weep and believe.
we complain to God and we can't heal because we do not let God. we do not open up.
we prefer to be self-pitying and not wanting to surrender it.
James 1:2
God's love is greater.
God smiles when He sees you.
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