Saturday, June 11, 2016
post church camp reflections... (:
thankful for a fruitfully-spent week, and God has taught me a few things this week.
1. The need for inner regeneration
I think i've come to a point in my spiritual walk where i don't hear new things often (in terms of theological concepts). I guess it was much easier when I was young to grow spiritually, and to be touched by the Word, because I was always learning something new, and seeing things from a new perspective. As I get older, I noticed that it is more difficult to excite me with the Word, because it is quite familiar. But at the start of this camp, I resolved to not only understand the text and come up with applications, but also to really put these things into practice! As some have said, that now is where the rubber meets the road. I hope that God will continue to bring to my remembrance these commitments that I have made in camp.
I was really impacted by the movie War Room, and it reminded me of my relationship with my family members. I was just sharing in the session before that I wanted to forgive them and to treat them with love, and the movie was an actual demonstration of it, in the form of a marriage relationship. I can see how bitterness and unforgiveness can fester into a damaging relationship which is merely "surviving", rather than flourishing...
I think this camp, I really thank God for showing me that mummy is really changing for the better! I can see in the way she interacts with those who are left out, and being really open to talking to new people, that she is really trying to be a blessing to others. My heart was really warm when I saw her doing BS with the rest of the aunties! all of them had furrowed brows, cos they were really thinking hard! It makes it easier to love her after seeing this change in her, because I had always been frustrated at her spiritual walk, and her lack of spiritual parenting, which created a lot of resentment in me, and overflowed into irritation over small things. I have been wanting to make a change in my attitude for the longest time, but when the time came, I would always just lose my temper. But now, maybe God is making it easier for me to love her (although i wish i would have succeeded earlier, so that i know that it was really the work of the Spirit making the impossible possible, if you know what I mean!)
2. That change in the church begins with me
The skit on the last day was really impactful too! it showed to me that i shouldn't be focusing on those who are "worse than me", but that we all exhibit characteristics (in different degrees) which can hurt the church: like unforgiveness, being overly critical, and being passive.
3. The power of prayer
Somewhere in the middle of the camp, I was feeling quite down, because I was looking forward to many HTHT sessions, but so far there was none. So i prayed that God will bless the remaining days of camp, and help me to have meaningful fellowship. And He really did answer my prayers! The next day, someone invited me to join their table for breakfast, and I also had opportunities to sit next to people whom I hadn't sat with in the course of the camp. (: God knows my introverted tendencies and made it easier for me to have meaningful conversations, of which I am extremely grateful.
there were many other small little lessons which i learnt, but these 3 were the most impactful ones! Thankful for the Holy Spirit's work in convicting me, as well as many in my discussion group (:
honored to be chosen by the King, and to be a part of this fellowship which will last till eternity! (:
avoid the aliens;
11:43 PM
