God's economization

God is the author of economization. In His economy, nothing is wasted. Even the smallest portions of resources we wasted unknowingly, He took careful notice of them and He had predefined a purpose for them.

True Contentment

Only thru God, in God, and with God, that you can live life in the real essence of fullness and with true spirit of satisfaction. His wisdom will teach you to be faithful and contented at all times regardless of your circumstances.

-------

In his letter to the believers in Philippi, St. Paul said: "I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances. I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. I am accustomed to any and every situation—to being filled and being hungry, to having plenty and having need. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:11-13)

       

Transcend from seeking happiness into discovering meaning

Our culture is obsessed with happiness, but there's more to life than happiness. Happiness comes and goes, but having meaning in life -- serving something beyond yourself and developing the best within you -- gives you something to hold on to regardless of the circumstances of life. There is a big difference between being happy and having meaning.

True happiness is a consequence of a truly meaningful life. Therefore, it is far better to find a purpose to serve than to strive for a lifestyle to live.

Life's true meaning can only be found in serving others, just as the Savior did while he was on earth. In the Lord's standard, a life of service is a preferential way of life than living a life like a master.

[Mark 10:42-45] Jesus called his disciples together and said to them, "You know that the rulers of the world lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. But it shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be the servant of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

[Ephesians 6:7] "Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, and not merely people."

[Ecclesiastes 9:10] "Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, because there is neither work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave, the place where you will eventually go."

       

Prayer; Mooring & Anchorage

When our hearts were right with God, our lives then were a prayer. He GRANTed us the things we asked for; even things we were not asking for.

But now, when we asked something from Him when we pray at times, He is ever faithful to ANSWER our prayers. But the answers are not as according to our asking. And so we realized that we have allowed ourselves to be slowly drifted away from Him. The everyday concerns of living have gradually weakened our anchorage and loosened our mooring to Him.

Even though God always answers our every prayer, yet we now fail to recognize and understand the way He is answering our prayers, because now that we have slowly drifted away from Him, our thoughts are no longer fully aligned with His thoughts. Our way of thinking now has started to become out of line with His way of thinking.

So now, says the Lord God: "My people, if you would only firmly secure your mooring back to Me, strong currents will no longer carry you away from Me. If you would only put your anchorage firmly back to Me, you shall regain the strength to sustain against strong winds."

       

A Priceless Freedom

Spirited, and as if tireless, for long, souls had gambled lives and limbs trying to dive into freedom's seemingly abyssal crimson depth-of-no-return seeking to fathom it. And even though as if they were holding on to only a loosely moored dive-line-of-hope as their guide, but seemingly at last, a flash of light appeared all of a sudden amidst the abyss' darkness.

Alas, with all the countless valor sacrificed, the bittersweet reward to savor now is the finding of a bargain of the kind of freedom that to this world is highly regarded and appreciated.

But the greater challenge on freedom is not in the hardships of the struggles that people have gone through (or must go through) to achieve freedom. It is in how people ought to live their lives within the kind of freedom they have achieved (or will achieve).

-------
True Freedom: O how priceless you really are that it costs the Savior's holy blood to be shed for your sake.

[Galatians 5:1] It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

[2 Corinthians 3:17] For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

[Galatians 5:13-14] You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

[John 8:36] So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

[1 Corinthians 6:12] You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.

[1 Peter 2:16] Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.

[Re]discovering your calling

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Listen to His word and you shall know wisdom. Meditate on His word and you'll learn to delight in Him; and His word shall empty your old heart and fill it with Godly desires, and then you will [re]discover your calling according to the gifting He had bestowed upon you.

       

So you go fishing? But God is calling!

Peter - The apostate that God used

          

Finding the strength to cope

The increasing challenges of the road you have taken have caused you to feel too drained for some of the other essential concerns which every now and then still beg for your spare time and necessitate your gifting. But keep on keeping on, this part of your journey is crucial. Along the way you'll gradually learn and find the strength to face and deal with the challenges.

It's how you face and handle the challenges that will push you to grow better and stronger. If something that crosses your path doesn't challenge you, it has no potential to change you.