Since college, I started my year joining our church in prayer and fasting. It is a season of greater faith, reminders, building up, strengthening, revival and breakthroughs. During this season, we set our hearts to God, of who He is, what He has done and what He will be doing. In this season, we pray, we cry or cry out, we encourage, we share, we jump for joy and we pray some more, among other things. But it is a season that does not just end after that almost week-long prayer and fasting.
At the start of the year, many would list their new year's resolution. While others have already gotten over that, saying, "that it doesn't matter anymore, no one stays true to their resolution." On the other hand, I always get excited, not because I do new year's resolution but rather because of my FAITH GOALS.
At the start of the year, I browse back to the faith goals I have written the previous year, those faith goals I've been praying for. I check which had been answered and which still needs prayer and faith and, lastly, which God told me "no". I am excited really because most of the time, God provides and He showers blessings after blessings. And no, I am not only talking about material things. Then, another cause of my excitement is starting another list of faith goals for the year.
Faith goals and new year's resolution are entirely different. For one, new year's resolution asks of man's own labor, of man's will to make the changes happen, whereas, faith goals asks of God. Faith goals teaches to trust God and not our own strength. It teaches us humility that without God, we cannot do anything.
"...it is not by strength that one prevails." - 1 Samuel 2:9How do we set our faith goals?
1. Pray. The core of our faith goals is God. So we ask of Him to place in our hearts the things we needed to set our hearts to. One most important for me to ask of God is for discernment because not all battles are needed to be faced at the same time. One step at a time, in His beautiful time.
2. Listen. We have to open our ears and eyes to our surroundings. We open our TV, read the news paper and see if there are issues or things that God wants us to pray for. We lend our ears to our friends and listen to what's been bothering them. We check ourselves and see what things to be changed, to improve or to achieve. We open and read our Bible to hear God's whispers. We set our faith goals not only for our personal goals but also for those we love, for those we try to love because God loves them too. We pray for our country and for every country.
"...you shall love your neighbor as yourself..." - Leviticus 19:18
3. Attend. Join your church in prayer. Know the schedule of your prayer meeting. Back in our church in the province, we have a prayer meeting every Wednesday at our church building and a Home Family Care program on a Friday at a member's residence. Why do we need to attend such? So that we may also share in praying for our church and the concerns of church members whom we haven't had time to connect or talk with. It is also the perfect time for bonding among members. You can always end the evening with some snacks and laughs.
What happens next? As previously mentioned, this prayer and fasting does not just end after a week. It continues throughout the year, every season, every moment. We hold on to our faith and stand on His promises. So what do we do?
1. Pray. Pray for God's grace and strength that will push you through the year. Prayer will keep us going. Trust me, it does unbelievable things.
"Pray unceaseingly." - 1 Thessalonians 5:17
" Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." - Colossians 4:2
2. Expect. Our God is a gracious God. He has riches more than what we can imagine. Of course, if you have set your faith goals which asks of God, expect for His answer. Brace yourself to be blown away.
3. Share. Definitely, every blessing must be shared. Tell everyone of what God has done that they too will share in your happiness and praise God our Father, and that they too maybe strengthened in their faith.
My faith goals keep on growing as the year goes; these 2 lists are a cycle. As I have mentioned, as I start another year, I look back and see what God has done. I see that there are a lot of things He provided, things that are in the waiting list [and list pray for what happens next] and lastly, things that He responded with a "no". While appreciate the things God had provided, I also give thanks to Him on the things He didn't because in both answers, I learned a lot. He made me see things in His perspective. He cultivates me and engraves in me more of Him. And that actually is the most important prayer we have ever since we started our relationship with Jesus - that we may live just like Him and be more like Him.
I cannot just end this without sharing a wonderful blessing. It has been on my top list this year. Let me start with this. I am a medical student and this year I should have been in hospitals, making rounds, checking patients, doing reports among other things. Last year was kind of a little, how do I say this, frustrating or maybe devastating year for me and some of my friends. We were held back for a semester. It was hard really and there's only one thing I could do, PRAY. Because at that time, as I've said I was frustrated and devastated and kind of irrational because of the pain. And honestly, it was so hard to admit. And we just try to paste a smile minus the glitters (if you know what I mean) whenever people, especially former batchmates, ask me how I was doing. It really helps when you admit it and share it. Anyhow, I prayed and started my year right by setting my faith goals and placing my trust in the LORD. So to make the story short, we had finished the 2nd semester 2014-2015 with a staggering "OUTRIGHT PASSED." And you know who did it. All glory to God.
And then, come this year's first semester which should also be our final semester before junior internship if nothing like last year would happen. I didn't have the " outright passed" mark, instead, I had to still take a removals exam for one of the major subjects - that is, Obstetrics, which I admit I was confident of passing. Oh well, they said, the department heads had been stricter this time. And again, I saw myself in the same situation. I was frustrated. I was angry to the administration. And lastly, I was afraid. I feared that again, I will be held back, and what's more frustrating was it was just one single subject. And then, I asked of God. I asked for His peace to calm me. Then, I ask that I may love our school's administration, that I've been trying really hard to love, because really it was hard. And then, I asked for His grace as I reviewed for the upcoming removals.
Then, there's one of my top faith goals - that at the end of the first semester, I and my friends would be promoted to clerkship or junior internship.
And so hey, let's welcome the new Junior Medical Interns.
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| I and ate Jacq with the board where we wrote in Faith that we become Junior Medical Interns this year. |
Indeed,
" He makes all things beautiful, In His time."
To GOD be the glory.