Life's Experiences

I have been thinking and reminding myself that I should be aware that my practice as a Christian is to understand where God will meet me which is in the core and that is in my heart. The more I know about God, the more ready I am to believe Him for everything, because I know Him. I can choose to serve God as I see fit in my heart, mind and soul however God may change my decision as He directs me to another direction. He did lead me into life-changing experiences that truth wounds through my life's experiences. God's providences in my life were my "wake-up calls" as well as making me a better Christian. I realized that when I am trying to understand why He is doing this, my life is more peaceful and more enjoyable. Even though God will not take away my problems but He always been there for me when I am facing problems. What did my "life" teach me? What have I learned from this "life"? Trials including my disabilities taught me that God is more concerned with my character which He is building in me. He comforts me in His arms through His power of Grace on the journey to His destiny for me as Paul explains: “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3-4). In the Bible, God uses people with the right life experiences by putting them through the right spiritual directions and teaching them the right spiritual lessons. Knowledge of the mystery is having the reality of an experience of knowing God personally and consciously. Its not about how I "practice" my faith to draw near to God, but rather how my "heart" is when God is with me. Life's trials are often a two-sided coin:

One side trials may be viewed as coming from God to bring out the BEST in me (See: Gen. 22:1-2, 15-18; Hebrews 11:17).

On the other side of the coin, Satan attempts to tempt us and trials to bring out the WORST in me (see: James 1:13-14).

I could have despise my trials instead of embracing them as Romans 9:18 said, "Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden". From my experiences, I can see there are serious casualties to life’s real issues. When some people don’t get it, they get angry or fustrated or bitter which leads to despise because they misjudge and failed to consider to the real purpose and scope of what is happening. That’s “hardening against God” rather than "responding in faith". Many look at trials with despair and despondency while others despise them, some feel God is far off. I have learned that Jesus has given me opportunities to do the what I can do with my life dispite of my circumstances. This is the prospect of all opportunities through "His Providential Will" which I call "coincidences" in my life which perhaps God will make sure that whatever needs to be done, will be done at His right time and place. (See Romans 8:28-29).

God has humbled me so that I can learn to have the right attitude in my life. He wants to conform and transform me to the image of Christ. Scriptures reveals that no trial, no disease or illness, no accident or injury reaches us apart from God's permission. Christians can answer like Joseph to his brothers who sold him into slavery, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” God's purpose in redemption was not to make my life happy, healthy and free of trouble but rather His purpose was to rescue me from eternal sin and then conform me from the inside out to the image of His Son by the power of His Spirit. My disabilities allows my life of Christ to be manifested that God builds strength, virtue, compassion, faith and sacrificial love into me in order “to become conformed to the image of His son.” (Romans 8:29)God uses suffering to reveal my spiritual condition. God answers not by removing the pain, because the pain was productive, rather God gave Grace to endure. In this life it is inevitable and it is useful because it produces the evidence of your true spiritual condition, humility and intimacy with God and allows God to put Himself on display in His grace.

"God's purpose in increasing our trials is to sensitize us to people we never would have been able to relate to otherwise." Joni Eareckson Tada

"Most of the verses written about praise in God's Word were voiced by people faced with crushing heartaches, injustice, treachery, slander, and scores of other difficult situations." Joni Eareckson Tada

Canadian Mark Pickup (disabled with multiple sclerosis) said, “I have been more service to God disabled than during my able-bodied years. This didn’t happen despite my disability but because of my disability.”

I will not allow negative circumstances control my life just because I am deaf, I have multiple sclerosis, other circumstances I have. As a Christian, I am happy that God have taught me with those circumstances so that I can understand His grace.