Doing What Matters

I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see.
- John Burroughs

So... I do what matters more.

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It's Dangerous Out There, But Go Ahead.

Everyone of us go through many transitions in life. There are many stages in life. Psychologist Erik Erikson broke them down into 8 stages. In this post I want to speak specifically to those who are in their teens and transitioning to early adulthood. Age 17 to 21.

Erikson states that people from 12 - 18 years old goes through Identity Vs Role Confusion. This is where we develop a sense of self and a personal identity. If one is successful in this stage, he will be able to stay true to himself and move on well. However those who fail at this stage will feel lost and confused about his role and will lead to a weak sense of self.

Two weeks back the Youth Church brought a few of the Form 5 students to One Utama to have some fun before they sit fro their SPM Examinations which will mark the end of their hig school days and the beginning of a whole new journey.

This is what I shared with them.

After you leave school. You will be moving on to college and university. You will be exposed to a whole new culture and will be given a new outlook at life. Things will change. Things will be different. People talk a different language. They dress a different style. They walk differently. Everything is fresh and new.

The challenges grow.

You will be facing decisions on what you want to do and who you want to become. You will make decisions on developing your identity. And when you fail at it, you will face confusion. There are a lot of dangers out there. Friends will influence you to do things that otherwise you might not want to do and go to places you might not want to go.

My advice is. Go. But go where you know God wants to lead you to. Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. The church needs to go into the world and infiltrate the society out there. To be a light in the dark. To be the salt in a whole pot of hot curry.

I have been out here for 2 years now and I have seen a lot of things. I have been exposed to a lot of cultures and there are more to be explored. I want to warn you, that it is a terrible place out there. Go with the grace of God and bring God along in your journey.

You are filled with potential. Like a bomb waiting to blow off in right timing. Mould yourself and root yourself in the Word of God. Do not fall away from the faith. Stay with God. Stay with the church. Stay with your Christian friends. Life is just too short to waste. If we would only realize that we are but permanent residents on earth, we will be able to do so much more. If we would only realize that the world is just a transition stage and heaven is waiting, we would be able to be much more radical. There is more to life than this, my friends.

Identity Vs Role Confusion?

Your Identity is in Christ.

What Happens Next?

We are always moving forward and moving on. There will be many seasons in life and many transitions we have to go through. And through each transitions, our challenges changes and our challenges grow and become stronger. Through each transitions, we leave behind the old and face the new and uncharted territory.

What are you transitioning from and where will you be transitioning to?

Last week I had a the privilege to spend some time with a few friends who will be taking their SPM examinations soon. I shared to them about transitioning. Because once you are done with your secondary school life you move on to the college and university life which is a whole new territory. It can be scary. It will be dangerous.

The bigger question is: Are you bringing God along in your transition or are you leaving him behind?

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Two Roads Diverging, Which One Will You Choose?

What do you do when you face two roads infront of you? Both roads are equally good for your benefit. One road leads you to where you want to go and another road leads you to where you are called to go.

There will always be two roads to choose from. The decision you make will determine your tomorrow. There will always be two journeys to choose from.

After being in the Youth Church ministry for so long I am beginning to realize how hard it is for youths to choose between these two roads they face. There will come a time in their life where they choose to follow the world fully or choose to follow the One that created them. It is sad to see that leaders are giving up on their "ministry" and "moving on" in life.

Is it really hard to be a leader in the church? Is it really hard to lead people to Christ? Is it really hard to serve?

When youths come to the college and university stage in their life, they tend to feel that they are so busy with assignments and works and other stuff and they have no time for the church. Everyday they are caught up with doing assignments and struggling to meet datelines and study for exams to score well and do well and beat everyone else in the class. And little by little they think it is okay to let go of some church commitments.

When will we realize that serving in the ministry is not a job or work or responsibility or something that everyone must do? I have no words to describe what ministry is. Serving in the ministry is not a task, it is not a work, it has not words in the dictionary to explain it! Serving in the ministry is more than a work, it is more than people, it is more than time, it is more than commitment, it is more than everything else. Serving in the ministry and doing the work of God is about Jesus! It is all about Jesus!

It is depressing to see youths choosing the other road instead of the road that God has called them to choose.

Being a Christian is all about following Jesus, it is all about Jesus. It is about doing the work of God, it is about going where God wants to bring you, not where you want to bring God. It is about sacrificing the good things in life for the better things in heaven. It is about giving your time to God and asking him to work out your schedule for you. It is about giving yourself fully to the work of God and denying your own desires and selfish ambitions. It is about praying and asking God, "What's next?"

Know that if you are a leader in the church, you are not serving a ministry, you are serving a huge God. It is not a work, it is more than life, it is about Jesus.

When two roads diverge,

Will you take the one less travelled?

Don't give up on your service in the church.

Don't give up on Jesus.

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.

(1 Corinthians 15.58)

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