Is It Worth The Fight?

We grow up in a world where we are taught to fight for ourselves -- to fight for what's right, just, and all that we believe in. But there will be times in our lives when we can't fight for ourselves. So what do we do then when the battle is too hard? Is it worth the fight? 

There I was.. helpless, frustrated, and devastated with tears running down my face as I sat down in my car right after work. I was tasked by my manager to create a new program to help grow the company. Excited with the task, I went straight on to building a business plan for the project. 

After half a week, I finally finished and presented the project outline to my manager. I was excited to present this amazing program I had worked so hard on, yet to my disappointment, his response was definitely not what I was expecting. 

His said, "This is great, however, you won't be in charge of handling this, someone else will be managing this." 

"What?" I thought to myself. "So this is the reward of my hard work? It ends with it being handed off to someone else?" Since I created this program, I was expecting for myself to take the lead; the one who would be responsible of growing the program. I wanted to be the star of my company - to be in charge so that once it becomes successful, everyone would know it was because of me. 

I went out of the office full of anger and hurt. I had spend so much time and passion into crafting this venture, just to find it in the hands of another. My initial instinct was to fight for myself; to fight for the right I believed I had to manage this program. 

But it was in that moment of me wanting to fight, when God reminded me of a verse that changed my whole perspective: 

"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still" (Exodus 14:14). 

God reminded me that it wasn't my job to fight for myself, but His job to fight for me. The only thing I was required to do was to be still and trust that He's got everything under control for the best of me. 

I had been praying everyday to be the light in my office; to be the light that would show God's glory. My definition of being the light was for me to be the star in the office, and have everything be about me. But God's definition of me being the light was to bring the glory only onto him, and not me. 

This would mean being loving even when others are not loving, being patient even when others hurt me, being humble and giving the best I have even if it meant nothing for me. This was God's way for me to be the light at my office - to show everyone the Christ that lives in me.  

I decided that I was going to be still and let God fight for me. To give my best towards this program even if it meant I wouldn't get the credit, because all that matters is that God get's the credit. I realized that it's only when our identity is built in God when we can find true permanent joy in life. 

I had almost let loose of my pride, anger, and self-ambition to my company, but I am thankful that I chose God to fight for me. There is a reason why God wants to fight your battles, and that's because He's the best candidate to fight for you. 

God doesn't need you fighting your battles, that's His job. Your job is only to be still in him. 

Although the world may teach us to fight our own battles, as followers of Christ, we must let God fight our battles. Know that God is the best fighter for us. He knows us best, so we must trust in His way. The best way to let God do His thing is to be still and let God take over. Let him fight, because it's only when God fights that we will find our victory. Our victory has and will always be in Christ. So remember, it's not worth the fight - let God fight it.
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Do You Have The Right Heart?

It's easy to believe that those who serve others and commit their time at church are people with a right and pure heart. However, we could still be serving God yet not have the right heart. It's not what you do, but why you do it that counts. Do you have the right heart? 

I too had to ask myself that very same question. 

I have been wanting to join a writing group at my church for almost a year, but with my hectic schedule, I never had the time to join. 

Finally, the time had come when I no longer had conflicting schedules and was able to join the group. I was excited because I was also in the process of writing a devotional book and thought this group would be a great opportunity for me to work on it and get some feedback. 

I emailed the leader letting him know my interest in joining. However, his response wasn't what I was expecting. 

"Great", he said. "We are in the process of writing a book for the church and are looking for people to help!" 

In my mind I was thinking... What? God, you finally opened my schedule but now it was to help the Church's book, and not my own? 

I then thought of changing my mind from joining the group. But it was that moment when God opened my eyes to my own heart. 

He showed me My heart, a self-centered heart that only sought for my purpose and not God's purpose. I wanted to join this group at my church, but with the wrong heart. And if it wasn't from this incident, I would never have known that my purpose of joining was only centered around my wants, instead of God's wants. 

God wanted me to join the group to fellowship with other believers who had the same passion as me, and to serve others through our gifts. Yet my purpose of joining was to only serve myself.

Not to serve others. Not to serve God. 

Did I have the right heart? Definitely not.  

It's so scary to know that despite chasing after Godly things, we too can do it with the wrong heart. To make sure we have the right heart, we must always ask ourselves this: 

Are you seeking God for His purpose or your purpose? 

I was serving God with the wrong purpose. All I was thinking in my mind was what I could do for myself, instead of what I could be doing for God. I was serving God but with my own purpose and agenda. We must make sure that we are not using God for our own purposes. 

We were created to glorify God alone, and not ourselves. We must constantly seek his purpose in everything we do. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

Not for one second does God want us to glorify ourselves - we must do everything for his glory, his purpose. It's either all about us, or all about God - it can't be both. Is your intention of doing this for God or you? (Remember, the answer can't be both.)

It's easy to fall into the trap of using God to chase after our own desires. Even having Godly desires does not guarantee that God is the focus of our lives. We can still have God's desires but focus it for us, and not God. 

If we serve at the worship team only to make ourselves a better singer, or to feel accomplished, we already missed the point. Our own service to God has turned to serve ourselves. 

Even in my own pursuit of my calling from God in writing, I must remember to write for God's purpose and not my own. I have to constantly remind myself that my writing isn't to satisfy my ambition, but to satisfy God's purpose. This also applies for me joining church groups; it is not to serve my own purpose, but God's purpose. 

To have the right heart will require us to check on it ever so often. Ask yourself, who's the center of your heart? You or God? God must increase, and we must decrease (John 3:30). Our heart doesn't have enough room to glorify ourselves and God, we must choose one. So remember, have the right heart. 

Fear Is Fake

Fear is an emotion we all experience, and a sure hard one to brush off. The majority of us can even say that we make decisions based on fear. But what's even scarier than fear itself is the fact that we are making decisions based on false beliefs, also known as fear. 

A couple months before graduating college, I was faced with 2 job offers. One job offer was with a larger and more established company, while the other (which is my current job) was a smaller and more less established company. 

I struggled between the two; the larger company's offer was great, but it would require me to move from my current city, while the second one would allow me to stay in the current city I was living at. 

Worry and fear starting building in my heart. What if I wouldn't learn a lot from the smaller company? What if I got fired just after 1 year of working? What if working here would just be a waste of time? 

I had 3 days to decide, and within the last 2 days I started leaning towards the larger company only because my fear told me too. However, deep inside my heart, I didn't feel peaceful about working at the larger company and moving away. 

In desperation I called my friend, and she prayed with me and spoke a truth that changed my perspective: Fear and worry doesn't come from God, but from Satan. 

It was then when I realized that all these fears were fake, unnecessary, and not from God. I prayed so many times to God but never did I spend a single second condemning and casting away my fears and doubts. After realizing this truth, I started to pray against my fears and doubts. 

I knew that the fears I had were all distractions from Satan to stop me from making the right choice, the choice that God had planned for me. It was only after I cleared up my fears that I could then give room for my faith in God to take control of my decision. 

After praying and seeking his direction, I felt peace to choose the smaller company's job offer. And to this day, I can testify that all the fears I had back then were fake. 

Yes, fake. 

I am actually learning a lot from this company, and because it is a small company, I have the opportunity to do more. It's been 1 year that I have worked there and until today by God's grace, I am still working there. 

Was choosing the smaller company a waste of time? Definitely not. 

If anything, it has actually been the best decision I have made. I love what I do, and if I had taken the other job, I would have had to move which would have taken away the opportunity for me to take the bible classes that I do now at my local church,  and I wouldn't have had the opportunity to serve God and have the loving Christ-like community that I do right now.

Now I understand why Satan placed those fears of me choosing the smaller company's job offer, and it was because he knew how God would use that decision to bless me and prepare me for what's more to come. 

God knows the best for you, so trust in him and not your fears. 

We must learn to approach our fears with this truth: 

Fear is fake, but God is real. 

Fears are only stopping blocks from Satan to prevent us from seeing God's bright pathway for us. Satan doesn't want us to walk in God's path, so he throws fears and worries in the midst of our paths, hoping to detour us from God's will. 

But we must stand firm in God's truth and not let fear become a reality. Fear is only a reality when we make it a reality. Remember that fear is a non-existence belief, so why are you making decisions based on things that aren't even real? Make decisions based on things that are 100% real, and that is God's word.

God gives us so many promises in the bible, promises to give us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11), promises that he will never leave us astray. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, "...for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." God always has the best interest for us, so trust in him, and not the fears that Satan will throw at us. 

I was also a victim for following my fears instead of my faith,  but as I slowly challenged myself to choose faith instead of fear, I have learned to trust in God more. Faith is the only pathway that will lead us to God's perfect and pleasant will for us. 

If you are experiencing fear, know that it doesn't come from God and cast those thoughts away. God didn't create us to fear, but to overcome. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, and love and self-discipline." 

God gives you the Holy Spirit to empower you with strength to make the right decision, even in the midst of the scariest storms. Fear and faith can't go together, you must choose one. The Lord has promised good to you, do you believe it? So remember, fear is fake. 

Are You Praying The Right Way?

Many of us partake in prayer, but have you ever experienced a sense of emptiness even after praying? Wondered why your prayer doesn't seem to change your circumstances? Maybe you're at a point of believing that prayer is useless. Before you give up on prayer, consider this: Are you praying the right way? 

There's been times in my own life when I found myself exactly at the same state of how I was before I prayed. It happened not too long ago, a friend had requested me a favor, and not just any favor, but a ridiculous favor. 

Yet inside my heart, I knew God wanted me to help out my friend. Trying to get rid of my burdened heart, I decided to pray. 

I prayed and asked God to help soften my heart, but inside my mind I couldn't stop thinking of how ridiculous the favor was. I started telling God, "Isn't this a crazy request? God, you know how much of a hassle this is going to be. How could you make me be obligated to do this?" 

I then asked God for a miracle so I wouldn't have to help my friend, and hoping God would change his mind about asking me to help. 

After praying, did any change happen? 

No. Nothing. 

I was still bitter-hearted, and my friend still needed my help. 

Feeling frustrated and angry, I went on social media and happened to stumble upon a post that said, "Prayer isn't crucial because it changes God, but because it changes me."

It was then when I realized why my prayer didn't change me, and it was because I had the wrong motivation for praying.  Instead of praying to change my own will, I prayed to change God's will. 

When you pray, is your motivation to change God or you? I came into prayer with the wrong motivation. Nothing inside me desired to even consider God's request, and the point of my prayer was to change God's mind instead of my own mind. 

We must remember that prayer is a time to be one in mind with Christ. Instead of praying for things that you want, use the time to renew your mind and see from God's perspective. Romans 12:2 says, "..be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will."

The goal of your prayer should be to align yourself to God's will, and not your own. The fact is, God's will is the only will that is good and perfect for you, and prayer will help you find and act upon God's will. 

Prayer shouldn't be a time for God to connect with us, but for us to connect with God. 

Once I realized this truth, I prayed again, and this time with the motivation to change me.

I prayed so that God would help me see the situation as he saw it - to change how I viewed this favor request from my friend. And to my surprise, after praying I felt peaceful about helping my friend. God showed me that this was actually a good opportunity to pour God's love into my friend's life. From not having the slightest desire to help my friend, I became ever so eager to help. 

Maybe you're in a similar boat as me, wondering why the things you prayed for have not happened, or why you still feel bitterness and unforgiving against someone, or why you still don't have peace in your heart. The solution is to see your situation as how God sees it. Take this as an opportunity to pray so that you would have the mind of Christ because that is when peace will rest in your hearts.

Peace only comes when we set our minds above and come into unity with the mind of Christ. Trust in God's will that he is always for you and not against you.

Prayer was never meant to change our circumstances, but to change how we see our circumstances through Christ. Our lives will never change, it's how we see life that changes our lives, and prayer is there to initiate that very change. 

Isaiah 55:9 says, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." We can't rely on our own knowledge to determine what we should pray for, because God's ways surpasses our own understanding. Instead of trying to bring God to our level, we should be trying to get up to his level. 

We spend so much time telling God what he should do, but who are we to tell God what to do? It says in Corinthians 2:16, "Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" It's not our job to tell God what to do, but it's God job to tell us what to do. 

Rely on the Holy Spirit and he will help guide you into what you should pray for and to unite your mind with Christ. The power of prayer comes when we are one in mind with Christ. So remember, pray the right way.