(BP) Growth

Coming from a city like Hong Kong, I overlooked many small yet amazing things in the nature until I came here. One of the most unforgettable things is the rapid growth of mushroom after rainy days. A day after a heavy rain, I was walking on the path I “commuted” every day between my dorm and campus, and I saw a few gigantic (from the standard of an urban dweller) mushrooms on the lawn. But they all rotted only after two or three days.

There were a lot of times I got disappointed by looking at my spiritual life, especially after hearing a profoundly convicting sermon, or after failing to be faithful to follow Him. I condemned myself for not growing as much and as fast as I should, even after experiencing so much of his goodness and faithfulness. I thought I should have grown a lot after a heavy rain, just like the mushrooms. But without steadfastness, it’s not endurable, if not turning downward by forcing ourselves to commit to something we are not yet ready.

And after all, spiritual life is not a lonely walk. God is not like a boss that throw a project to us and ask us only to come back after striving to get the thing done. Far from it, He contends before and after us. And He already paved the way leading to eternal life, and is the guardian guiding us to navigate on it.

“Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.’” (Jeremiah 6:16)

In the first place, and at the end of the day, even our faith is a gift from Him. He knows perfectly that we are not perfect, and He never requires us to be perfect. He knows better than ourselves of how much we can endure. As long as we stay on his path in steadfast faithfulness and upholding our faith in him, he is faithful to grow us closer and deeper in time.

In the midst of spiritual low or stumbling, I truly believe what we need more and need the most is not more programmes or anything like “5 tips for a prayer God would answer”, but a humble heart with faith to go back to Him, to get back onto the path where he initially encountered us and kindled our love to Him by revealing His unreserved one to us. For before any head knowledge can internalise into our heart and carry life-transforming power, we need to get back to the right place to focus on Jesus, the origin of all revelation of God.

“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.” (Colossians 1:21-23)

“All things have been handed over to me (Jesus) by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:27-30)