My visit to China is wrapping up and I’ll be back very soon – I’m having mixed feelings right now… reluctant to leave, yet excited to
see everyone again and for what lies ahead. It’s been a rewarding trip in many ways. In particular, I’ve found out
more about myself by living in this new environment for the past two months. The sudden slow-down of pace in life, release from responsibilities, and departure from my normal routines in life
made me realize, among many things, that my faith isn’t as strong as I had
imagined.
Foundations of Faith = Truth
I realize now that certain roles and routines (ex. prayer, bible reading, sabbath) in life had been important pegs of my spiritual tent, keeping me grounded in faith through the storms. A disruption or temporary upheaval of these pegs during vacation made me see the bare foundations of my faith, and that one's faith cannot be solely based on emotions or feelings, because
emotions and feelings change during storms.
If our faith is based purely on emotions, on how we feel or on our imaginations of God (ex. how we perceive God to be like as opposed to how He is according to the truth), then at a change in circumstance, our faith may waver. A change in surrounding or an unexpected
upturn/downturn in life will cause wide fluctuations in one’s spirituality.
Faith that can endure through times of trial and the waves
of life must be founded on the truth, because the truth never changes. The
feelings, perceptions, and thoughts of men aren’t necessarily the will of God. So
that is why it is so important to study the truth diligently through the Holy
Spirit, instead of seeing things according to our own understanding or
judgments.
When we meet with trials that threaten the very basis of our faith, we recall that at the bare foundation is our belief in Jesus Christ as the Saviour. He, through his crucifixion, death, and resurrection, redeemed us and opened the
path to Heaven for mankind. Without going through Him, no one may enter the kingdom of God (John 14:16). So we receive baptism, submit to the Holy Spirit, keep
Sabbaths and remember there is a hope of eternal life awaiting after.
We recall that at our baptism, we had proclaimed and accepted Christ as Lord, that we’d follow Him,
to trust and obey Him. It was a lifetime
commitment, one which we should not forsake or and just decide to leave when it's no longer convenient or beneficial. We made a solemn and wise choice when we decided to follow Christ – so stick with it until the end. As Paul said, run the entire
race, fight until the end, keep the faith until the Lord comes again. (2 Tim 4:7) Remain in the church, and blessed is he who endures until the end. (Mt 10:22)
Even though we hear repeatedly during seminars/spiritual convocations the importance of studying the truth & doctrines, I didn’t think deeper about it because it just seemed like a fact. But I finally see why we have to repeatedly drill these things in deeply and firmly – because faith has to be founded on the truth rather than on men’s perceptions or emotions.
Building Up in Love
At the same time, it’s impossible for faith to persist without the existence of love.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:13 “and now abide faith,
hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” The entire law and
the prophets hang on to love - loving God with all our heart and soul and mind, and loving men as ourselves. It may be easier to love men whom we
can see, but how do we love or develop love for Christ? After all, it is the first and greatest
command (Mt 22:34-40).
But we love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). So to cultivate love for God, we
have to first realize, experience, know the love of God for us. Yes, we are told that God loves everyone, but
the love I speak of here isn't of His love for someone else, but his love for you personally. Have you ever felt God's love for you?
Because
there's a difference between knowing someone loves you, and feeling they love you
& receiving fulfillment and joy from that love. The love of God is so wide, deep and long (Eph 3:18) and impossible to separate from us (As Paul said in Romans 3:38-39 "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.") - then how big of a pity would it be if we never feel Christ's own love for us as children of God? That would mean we have never gotten to know our
father, because God himself is love.
God gave us time on earth not only for us to believe him,
obey him, or follow him, but even more so He wants us to experience and understand
His personal love for us. Only then can we be compelled by God’s love as Paul was (2
Cor 5:14). Perhaps when we finally do feel God’s love for us, we will come to understand what it is that Christ wants us to accomplish. Maybe only then will we
learn to love others unconditionally, as Christ does us.
And when it comes to times of trials, when we feel like all
that surround us is darkness, we can recall the closeness and personal love we've received from God. Then we’ll feel a warmth lighting up our heart, hear a voice
telling us to wait a bit more and keeping holding tight onto His hand. And
when we truly understand the love of God for us and all mankind, all our doubts, questions, and problems disappear, because we will just know that God won't give us anything other than what is best.
