Currently Playing Gravity By Our Lady Peace see related

wow...exactly one week till we're all home. I'm real excited actually - sure I'm going to miss a bunch of people up here, but I haven't seen my friends and family from home in so long. This school year has gone by quickly, thats for certain. But I am definately ready for it to end. I dunno about you all, but I can use a good 3 months of stress-free relaxation. Lately I've been thinking about what I've learned this year. I mean, things besides E = kq/r^2 and V = IR. My education this year has definately been more than just in physics, chemistry and the liberal arts. First of all, I have seen the truth in the idiom 'think before you speak'. At this school, I have encountered all different kinds of people, and I've realized that some people are very sensitive on certain issues and it is crucial to alwways watch your mouth. For example, the other day I made one comment to a guy on my hall about my personal dislike of cerain kinds of pop-Christian fiction, and how I perfer reading authors such as CS Lewis, GK Chesterton, RC Sproul, or Francis Shaefer. I meant know harm in the comment, I was just sharing my opinion - but apparently that dubbed me "officious". I suppose I usually think of how I would react if the same thing happened to me. People have told me things such as 'Lewis was a mediocre theologian', and it has not offended me, rather it has sparked a good conversation. But I realize now that people are very different, and it takes alot of wisdom to know when to open your mouth and when to leave it shut. And it is something with which I still struggle.

    Another thing I learned this year also build off of the 'people are very different' point - that sometimes people will misjudge you or simply dislike you for who you are and there is nothing you can do about it. This was something hard for me personally. I want to be liked by people, sometimes to the point where I become a people-pleaser - something I have been trying to fight. We cannot please everyone - it is impossible. Christ was the ultimate example of this - He was perfect in His love and kindness, and people still despised Him. So it is important not to be bothered if someone mistreats you or acts in an unchristian manner towards you - we must simply forgive them and continue to love and serve them, as Christ would. I think this is easier said then done, but with the Lord's grace nothing is impossible.

   Thirdly, I have learned that I am not the king of the universe. You may laugh at that, but there is a truth to it in all of us. I'm sure alot of you have been in a situation where you had to 'fix things'. I think the desire to fix problems is natural and not sinful in and of itself. However, it is easy to adobt the notion that we have control over a situation, when the truth is we don't. The truth is, we live in a sinful and corrupt world, and there will always be times when it doesn't matter if you present the most persuasive logical arguments or lucid scriptural evidence - sometimes people won't listen. Only God can change hearts - He is the one who persuades and moves us. While I do think that we need to do our part, simply because he has commanded us. We send missionaries out into the world because He asked us to, not because He needs help in changing people. So if any of you are still frustrated because someone isnt listening to you - I recommend two things. First, always go back to scripture, talk to people wiser than you - alot of times you will find it was you who were wrong. You cannot help someone get the spec out of their eye if you have a log in your own. And secondly, realize that God is in control, and sometimes the right and wise thing to do is to let it go. Proverbs says to leave a fool to their folly, and sometimes nothing you can say will help, so in that case, just walk away. Do not cease to love, but stop fighting.

Well, i think thats enough rambling for one day. I hope I didn't bore y'all. Until next time then...

Currently Reading Mere Christianity By C. S. Lewis see related

Well here it goes...the last full week of classes are almost over. Its remarkable how fast the year has gone by. Just yesterday I had the step-test for fitwell, this time for a grade, and I that just got me thinking about the beginning of the first term last fall and how far we've come even though it doesnt really feel like it. I wonder if that's what getting older feels like all the time. You look back seeing how far you've come, while at the same time you don't know where the time has gone. Dont get me wrong, I'm not trying to be pessimistic here - I really am excited about growing up, but i do think its natural to have a bittersweet feeling about it.

     Well looking back, this sure has been an interesting year. I remember how i felt on the car ride up to gcc for the first term, and I never could have predicted the events of this year. I think that just proves even more that we cannot understand God. Alot of times i think when something doesnt go our way, we get frustrated with God thinking if only we were running the universe, then things would be better. Trust me, this feeling has entered my mind in the past, and its straight from the devil. The problem is we are trying to use our extremely limited minds to bear a weight only God can sustain. In otherwords, we're leaning on our own understanding, which is deemed foolish in the book of Proverbs. Its always good to reaffirm through scripture that what God has ordained in right and perfect, and that we need to trust and rely in Him. I definately think that at the last day, we will look back at our lives and say: oh, so thats why this happened. At least, I hope that we will be granted that understanding - it may never be given to us; but the good news is that we dont need it. That leads me to another question: can it be deemed controlling for us to seek an answer to why something has happened? My first answer would be, of course not. I mean, what could be wrong about seeking to understand God? I realize we can never fully understand Him, but doesnt Paul say in I Corinthians that now we know "in part"? But on the otherhand, isnt it possible to desire understanding selfishly? In otherwords, seeking a reason merely for the sake of comfort. At the end of the day, i think this is a simple lack of trust. We should not need answers in order to be comforted. C.S. Lewis once said that:

"If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end:  if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth--only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin with and, in the end, despair."

I think this point here is well said. That we must not seek comfort selfishly, but must seek the Lord, not expecting anything in return, for we deserve nothing in return. But I do believe that we will and should take comfort in the truth. Well i think i've used up enough ink for one day. Time for lunch anyways...

Also, tell me what you all think about what I've said in the comments if you like.