We usually close of our bible study with prayer requests. And recently Ann jokingly remarked that I don’t seem to have many requests.:)
There’s a long-winded explanation for that. I don’t have many specific requests because putting aside all my posts here about toys I’m interested in LOL, I really don’t have many actual needs and wants.
Why’s that? It comes from a simple truth that I believe in: that everything I have and every difficulty I face is part of God’s plan for me, and while I’ll pray for confidence and courage, I won’t pray for specific outcomes unless it’s absolutely clear in my head what God’s will is.
My belief stems from a promise God made, and it’s in the epistle Paul wrote to the Thessalonians who were under persecution for their beliefs. Worried, Paul said to the Thessalonians:
“In all things give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you all.” (1 Thess 5:18)
I was first struck by this verse when doing my quiet time while in full-time NS 17 years ago, and it’s remained in my head ever since. This is one of my three ‘anchor’ verses that I always remember, and it helps simplify the challenges and situations that come on all too often.
There are three key phrases in this verse:
– “In all things…”, which well means in everything.
– “Give thanks…”
– “The will of God…”, it’s God’s will.
In everything that happens, give thanks because this is part of God’s plan for you. Paul didn’t tell the Thessalonian converts to give thanks only when the going is good, and not to give thanks when their goats were lost somewhere, or when they were faced with some huge calamity on their door step. Rather, things are happening because it’s part of God’s plan, and there will be some lesson, learning value, or opportunity that will come as a result.
Oh, it’s easy to give thanks when you get that new promotion, the new raise, a big bonus at year end etc. Many of us do. We thank God when those great things happen. But do we thank God when we don’t get the promotion, the raise, or the big bonus? No. Our natural instinct is for us to gripe and complain.
1 Thess 5:18 has made it really a lot easier for me to accept these things that happen. Like when I was in a traffic accident when I hit the guy’s Honda and the repair job cost us a few thousand. Or 7 years years ago when I found myself ‘retired’ early from an academic position for being a defiant and recalcitrant toot to management at a school I was lecturing at. Or the incident 11 years ago when I left my small group. Or when we found out 2 months ago that there was a probability that our baby girl was going to have chromosomal disorders. In everything, give thanks!
Oh, this doesn’t mean I don’t feel miserable when those things happened. But in every instance God came through for us and there was an amazing outcome in every incident. I’m a far more careful driver and Ling reminds me not to get distracted on the roads. The incident at work 7 years ago set in motion my plans for the Ph.D. And the incident with my small group all those years ago led me to social and virtual communities which in turn became my doctoral research work and where I met my best bud, that prata-eating Ang mo.
And as for little Agnes / Tirza / Hannah (yet to decide LOL), it wasn’t really much of a decision to make. It took us all of five minutes, in the car driving home even. God had blessed us with a child, and we were grateful. He didn’t say give thanks only if the child had no abnormalities. If our baby was going to be born with Down Syndrome, we’ll give thanks, because this was a challenge God was giving us and we were going to do our level best to work it out. He blessed the both of us with great families and friends to support us, and sound minds and bodies to raise our daughter right even in potential difficulties.
OK this doesn’t mean things are all hunky dory and rainbows. And I’m sure I’ll be really and sorely tested if something really big happens. But for the moment, I’m thankful for this simple truth – it’s really made life that sunnier.:)
Great post, bud. You two (soon to be three) deserve rainbows!
(Oddly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a real rainbow during my time in Singapore, even with all of that rain.)
I think it’s just difficult to spot rainbows here, not when at any given spot in Singapore, your point of view is likely to be high-rise apartment blocks no matter where you turn.:)
Good point. I do recall catching the glimpse of a rainbow off the southeast coast of Tioman Island in Malaysia, so at least I can confirm they exist in Southeast Asia. :)
This was taken at Pulau Medang in 2007.:)
Hi Matt,
We have rainbows here. But the food here must have surely stolen the attention. :)