Friday, July 04, 2008
Humility
I had a talk with a friend of mine several months ago. He is a former Catholic who became a Protestant about eight years ago. Although I am sad every time I hear that happening, I might be one of the indifferent Catholics who would still be happy for the person, as long as s/he can find God, the Spirit, and His fruits wherever s/he is.
The thing that is weird about my friend is that he kept switching churches like television channels. I found that weird because in my experience the fruit when you are walking with the Holy Spirit is contentment. I am not saying that we should not look for improvements in our relationship with God where ever we are. However, when we feel that you cannot commit into any community or worse, any church, then I begin to question, who are we serving: God or ourselves?
Usually we are switching because we are unsatisfied with something. We are unwilling to take it, we are unwilling to make a change or change ourselves, therefore, the easy way out is to convert to another church with a belief system, culture, tradition and people that is more like us.
I find that ideology a bit self-centered. By doing that, we are claiming that the only thing matters the most is ourselves. God is working to please us, to satisfy us, and therefore, we should look for places that pleases us the most. No church, community, places, nor people should tie us...
You know, we can be somewhat biblical about that ideology, but it just does not feel right. God does not teach us to be self-centered. God can place us anywhere. There is a reason why we are in any situation, and sometimes, excruciating situation is really a chance for us to check on our intentions, on our humility, on our persistence, on our love of God no matter what.
Another one of my dear friends always said this to me: we are being placed in this situation to do great things. And I am a firm believer in that. I don't condone blind loyalty, but I do condone to find our calling: to do great things no matter what. And from that conversation, I found what is the main foundation to find our true calling, so that we don't keep wandering in the desert:
Humility.
The thing that is weird about my friend is that he kept switching churches like television channels. I found that weird because in my experience the fruit when you are walking with the Holy Spirit is contentment. I am not saying that we should not look for improvements in our relationship with God where ever we are. However, when we feel that you cannot commit into any community or worse, any church, then I begin to question, who are we serving: God or ourselves?
Usually we are switching because we are unsatisfied with something. We are unwilling to take it, we are unwilling to make a change or change ourselves, therefore, the easy way out is to convert to another church with a belief system, culture, tradition and people that is more like us.
I find that ideology a bit self-centered. By doing that, we are claiming that the only thing matters the most is ourselves. God is working to please us, to satisfy us, and therefore, we should look for places that pleases us the most. No church, community, places, nor people should tie us...
You know, we can be somewhat biblical about that ideology, but it just does not feel right. God does not teach us to be self-centered. God can place us anywhere. There is a reason why we are in any situation, and sometimes, excruciating situation is really a chance for us to check on our intentions, on our humility, on our persistence, on our love of God no matter what.
Another one of my dear friends always said this to me: we are being placed in this situation to do great things. And I am a firm believer in that. I don't condone blind loyalty, but I do condone to find our calling: to do great things no matter what. And from that conversation, I found what is the main foundation to find our true calling, so that we don't keep wandering in the desert:
Humility.
# posted by indra : 4:23 PM
