Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Lessons of life


Well, I'm going to stay in camp for two weeks. I'm so going to miss the people around me. Well, I know it's not going to be easy but I'm going to depend on God's strength during this two weeks.

Today, when I heard that we got to stay in two weeks, I was quite discouraged and started complaining and whining. It was so discouraging and I was doing it in my own strength. I didn't really trusted in God to lead and guide me. I based my actions on my own feelings instead of faith in God.

Well, after a long day of murmuring and gumbling, I've come to realised that our God can be trusted. And during this two weeks, I want to draw closer to Him. I want to find my all-sufficiency in Him alone. Though I will be tempted to complain and murmur, but I'll walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Another I learnt today was to be contented. As I hear of some other people posting, I got envious and discontented and started to compare and complain. Yet, God had to hold me by my hand and tell me to stop, to be contented.

I remember a quote I read some time back.

"Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you do not have, but it is the realisation of how much you already have."

Also, as I was taking a cab home today and I was speaking to the taxi driver. He really was such a blessing to me. Just hearing him being so positive about everything just amazes me. Most people I talk to would complain about how tough is it to be a taxi driver, the rental and oil prices, etc. But this guy was a person who understood contentment.

I didn't hear him utter a word of complain during our whole conversation. He was satisfied with driving a cab, just thankful that he could make a living and that he can earn enough each month. Then, he was contented with the government. So many people I hear only knows how to talk bad and doubt the government, but this guy realised that it is not easy to be the government and he is just so contented.

I guess, we all really should learn how to be contented with what we got. By asking for too much, we may be missing out and overlooking the things and people that are important to us.

I'll like to share a short story with all.

Philip Parham tells the story of a rich industrialist who was disturbed to find a fisherman sitting lazily beside his boat. "Why aren't you out there fishing?" he asked.

"Because I've caught enough fish for today," said the fisherman. "Why don't you catch more fish than you need?' the rich man asked. "What would I do with them?"

"You could earn more money," came the impatient reply, "and buy a better boat so you could go deeper and catch more fish. You could purchase nylon nets, catch even more fish, and make more money. Soon you'd have a fleet of boats and be rich like me."

The fisherman asked, "Then what would I do?" "You could sit down and enjoy life," said the industrialist. "What do you think I'm doing now?" the fisherman replied as he looked placidly out to sea.

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