Trust and Fear

 Joshua 1:9

9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

God spoke these words to Joshua as he was preparing for battle, but they are just as applicable to our lives today. The key to overcoming fear at work, in relationships, or in parenting, is trust in God. Anyone who has raised a two-year-old or a teenager knows what it means to be terrified and discouraged! And yet God does not ask us to be courageous — He commands it.
How can we build the kind of faith that overcomes fear — fear that our kids will hurt or be hurt by others, abuse substances, make sexual compromises, or not come to know the Lord? Trust in God develops as we obey His Word and experience His love. We may not know God's purpose in many of life's events, but our peace comes from knowing Him.
Trust in God conquers fear in parenting.

I believe that this does not apply to only parenting (although I'm reading this Parenting by Design Daily Devotion) but applies to our everyday lives. It reminded me of the many events that has happened these past few weeks. A lot of uncertainties in my life as well the life of others and yet, somehow, timely message has been shared to assure that He is ever faithful.

Be it bad or the good that happens in our lives, we question and wonder if ever God is still with us. I'm thankful that we can hope when we are hopeless, have peace when we are uncertain, knowing that in the end, the things He wants for us is perfect. No matter where you are in life, know that Jesus loves you!

God's will is

Totally sovereign,

Gloriously redemptive,

Sometimes puzzling,

ALWAYS PERFECT

angers

Started on another book(yay! can add to the list); Prison Break (Mark Conner) and found this interesting topic in chapter three about anger. By the way, this book is about finding personal freedom from common problems such as anger, fear, worry, rejection, depression, addictions, and spiritual bondages.

Funny how someone gave this book to his prisoner friend BUT this book never made it to the prisoner. Probably the guards thought it was a handbook of how to escape from prison! :p

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. 

James 1:19-21

James shares three important keys to great relationships.
1. we need to become good listeners
2. we have to think before we open our mouth and speak
3. we need to learn to control our anger.

Human relationships are an essential part of all of our lives. They are where we experience some of our greatest joys. They are also where we sometimes experience our deepest pain. Some of that pain can be caused by uncontrolled anger.

Few general observations about anger

• we need to recognize that anger is a common emotion - like most of our emotions, anger is a warning signal that some sort of violation has taken place. We need to pay attention to it. We need to choose wisely what we do in response to our feelings of anger.
• it can cause great damage. - it is like a boomerang. We become angry at someone else but our anger affects us too.
• anger management is essential for healthy relationships. - Its important that we take control of this emotion of anger and ensure that it does not destroy people around about us. 
• there's a big difference between having angry feelings and expressing angry behaviour. - it is one thing to feel angry. It is yet another thing to then vent that anger through behaviours that hurts people.

There is a place for righteous anger. God expresses anger at times. God's anger is never irrational or as a result of impatience. His anger only last for a moment and it is always an expression of His goodness and concern. However, when God is angry, it is always for our good and so that we will return to Him. There is a big difference between angry feelings and behaviour and there is an appropriate place for righteous anger.

So how do we take control of our anger?

1.  anger triggers - look at your life and your relationships and consider what causes you to become angry. What kind of people tend to make you angry? By reflecting on our anger triggers we can seek God's help to change our responses in those particulars situations. 
2. embrace realistic expectations about life and people. - Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. 
3. choose to be a forgiving person. - forgiveness is God's antidote to all hurt. It enables us to release the person and in releasing them, we release ourselves. 

*note: me blogging about this doesn't mean that I'm without anger. It's how I found it relevant for everyone, including me. (:

reflections

So I was randomly having a chat with a friend few days back. At first, it was those usuals and what nots and casual and yeah you the drift. With any conversations, there tend to be a serious part and yeap, it made me think alot. Not exactly during the time we were having the conversation but more to after. Like till now, and i guess the next few days. It got me thinking like how I ended up being like that. How and why I made those decisions and that it's alright for me to be this way. Looking back right now, somehow I find it hard sharing (and holding back that water works) and explaining why I made those decisions. I literally had to have some time to refresh my memory....and now, its playing in my head and haunting me ):


I guess sometimes its good to reflect on what has happened and why you made those decisions. And it is also important that if any of those unwanted memories which suddenly pops up, I guess, one has to just cry(?), scream(?), throw knives(?), or find something that helps you to feel better. Of course, praying and know that your past just makes you stronger (:

once again

and once again, back with some updates after a short hiatus.

At this point in time, it's wayy past bed time but i slept way early and I'm up with nothing to do, or there is, but I'm just ignoring those things, and I just can't sleep.

You know that feeling where there's just too much going on in your head. That you don't know what to do. That whatever solution you have, you know that it still won't work in the end. That no matter how hard you try to work with your solution, it doesn't work as well.

when you try to think of a perfect time to talk to someone about issues. but timing can never be perfect even though how much you picture it to be. or how you thought you would want it to be.

when people around you start asking you about your future and you can't answer them. and you start thinking what on earth are you doing with your life. and future. How you picture your future to be but judging from your past, some things just can't get pass you. and it seems like your past keeps haunting you.

when you thought you've moved on and somehow you haven't

weird thoughts happens past bedtime...