Starting high school, enrolling in a university, entering the workforce… These seem to be the chapters of life inevitable to all youths, coming of age. We all proceed through a period of development into adulthood. At this time, we gradually change physically, psychologically, and socially and begin to depart from our immaturity. But can we let our faith in Jesus mature as well? For Christians today, we might be stepping into a spiritual battlefield where we leave our childhood behind and enter a society more wicked and perverse than that in preceding generations. It brings about the maturation of our faith. In my high school years, I sometimes wonder if I could sustain my faith and continue to place God as my priority.
As a child, I often looked up to my Religious Education teachers who served God fervently. Sis Angela was one of them. She grew up in the True Jesus Church. I witnessed her genuine love for God and how she stood firm in the face of tribulations. I also saw her making efforts to always cling to God. So, I interviewed her. From her experiences in keeping up her faith and through her sharings, I found comfort in the uphill battle of my own faith.
Sister Angela was diligent in adhering to the words of the Lord. Her love for Him is demonstrated through the way she serves in the church ministries. At times, it would take 2-3 hours of bus rides to come to church for services and observe the Sabbath. It shows her resolve to draw near to God. With nearly 3 hours on the road, other people might have opted to skip it or attend services online. However, with multiple bus rides and her well-packed schedule, Sis. Angela still chose to come to church, not just on Saturdays but also on weekday evenings when there were worship services. Spending close to 6 hours in a round trip commute demonstrates how desirable it is for her to come to God’s dwelling place. Her determination to love Him inspired me greatly. And I wish I could follow her example.
Sis. Angela made good use of her talents given by God to serve the church, playing piano, participating in cleaning, RE education, and more. I have had Sis. Angela as my RE teacher multiple times. Her lessons were always full of spiritually uplifting and edifying teachings. Those are definitely things we need in our spiritual journey. Being able to serve the Lord like Sis Angela is so admirable that I have resolved to prepare myself well for God’s use. I have come to understand that by God’s calling, we serve. Before that, I have to devote myself to spiritual cultivation and equip myself in the skills of my talents. I will also pray for God to use me according to His will, knowing that participation in the holy works will help me to draw closer to God.
Sis. Angela once shared about her struggle with seeing friends around her dating, and how she felt tempted to find someone. She had thoughts like, oh they look like they're having so much fun, maybe I could try it out for a bit. In the presence of such a temptation, she turned to her spiritual friends for advice and gave herself time to foresee things ahead. Subsequently, she realized that her journey of life was completely different from that of her friends. Reflecting on dating, she said, “ Sometimes, when you start dating someone, you don’t foresee any bad influence. However, if it's not a good influence in faith, then it's really not worth it. We must really think about the consequences, not only in this life but in the life to come.”
When we find ourselves struggling, turn to our spiritual companions, and besides them, our Lord Jesus. Sis Angela’s favourite verse is a great example of what we can do in these trials:
You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you. (2 Chronicles 20:17)
This verse is a powerful reminder when we meet up with temptations because we need not face them alone. Sis Angela applies this verse to various situations in her life. When our life is an uphill battle, let us not be discouraged and know the Lord will be with us. We know that as long as we try our best to do things according to His will, He takes care of the rest. We just need to remember that God is with us and like those He guided before, He will also watch over and protect us, His beloved ones.
Is there any advice to give to one entering high school, university, or just starting the workforce? To this question, Sis Angela answered with one word, “beware.” She talks about the discernment of the eyes. She places emphasis once and again on the significance of friends. How we must choose our worldly friends wisely, and love and rely on our spiritual friends. She shared how it was natural to want to blend in and make a lot of friends. Sometimes you might overlook things but we need to put on our discerning glasses so that we can recognize people around us for who they are and not who we want them to be. Discern the people surrounding you as they could affect you and ultimately, your faith.
The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. (Proverbs 12:26)
We should be careful with the people who we befriend, lest our own foolishness leads us off the heavenly path.
Sis Angela also shared her experience in learning to look for friends with the same values and beliefs. When we are faltering on this spiritual journey, we can also look to our spiritual family for support. Sis Angela shared how she was able to find brothers and sisters whom she could share her inner thoughts and struggles with.“ A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17) Let us seek comfort in our spiritual family when faced with adversity and they will give us the strength we need to return to God. Our brothers and sisters in Christ are our companions to walk this journey of faith together.
High school can be overwhelming at times, especially in grades 11-12 when there are big projects and exam/culminating work. During these times, it may become hard to set aside time for God. Apparently, we could be procrastinating as well. Sis. Angela spoke to me about how we could focus on our work and manage our time efficiently, and we will find ample time to spend with God. This really struck a chord in me because one of my bad habits is actually procrastination and I have experienced its consequences. If I were to properly use my time, without being fixated on entertainment or other worldly things, I would have had more than enough time for spiritual cultivation. This discussion on time management and self-discipline also reminded me of a certain idiom, “If there is a will, there is a way.” The meaning of this idiom is: if one is really determined to do something, they will find a way to do it. It is inevitable for a student to be immersed in many studies, but no one should forget the life-long journey we embarked on. If one has the desire to draw closer to God and to perform acts of servitude for Him, they will naturally find time in their daily routines. True self-discipline is to balance one’s time between school and work, and still be able to spend time with God regardless of their busy schedule.
To better navigate the world as a Christian and preserve oneself from the wickedness of the world, one needs to spend time with God in prayer. When Sis Angela started high school, her family had a routine of prayer together every night for about 10 minutes. Then starting in her 3rd year of high school, she began to set up her own time to pray. She shared about how she began to pray in the morning before school and ask God to guide her day. She also shared that even though the prayer lasted only five minutes, it was at the beginning of the day when she thought about God’s words and her relationship with Him.
The prayer in solitude reminds me of a passage recorded in the book of Daniel :
Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. (Daniel 6:9-10)
Here, Daniel, even under the threat of a lion's den, made sure to keep prayers a part of his daily life. This reminded me of a sermon that I’ve heard before, Prayer is the Breath of the Soul. Our body survives by breathing. Likewise, our soul needs breathing to stay alive spiritually. And it is by prayers. If Daniel, under the life-threatening decree, persisted to maintain his solitary time with God in prayers, why should we not pray? Nothing should be a hindrance to our love for God.
Sis Angela proves to be a dignified person by her choice of speech. She controls her tongue. “The simplest thing is not to swear,” she said. She shared that people who have known her for some time tell her that they've noticed that she doesn’t swear. Then, after learning of her being a Christian, they think that being able to not swear is very respectable. We must make efforts to behave as a good Christian in all aspects because people do notice, even the smallest things. So, this reminded me of a bible passage recorded in the book of James:
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. (James 3:6-8)
We must learn to tame our tongue because, with anger, our tongue can be the hardest to control. So, we must be cautious lest we say wicked words and leave a foothold for Satan. Because she did not swear, Sis Angela noticed that people around her made attempts not to swear as well. Good behavior can be influential. If we shine our light, others can be drawn into the light.
The walk to heaven is not an easy task, but it is a path no one should stray away from. It is the most precious grace bestowed on us that we are chosen to take this path. We should make all our efforts to stay on until the end of our days. Matthew 16:24, “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
Through my conversation with Sis. Angela, I was made known of my responsibility. In our trials, let us be enlightened by the love of Christ, and be strengthened through His words. In this way, we may be able to inspire the generations after us to cling to the Lord, and willingly deny themselves to take up their cross to follow Him.
May God watch over us in times of tribulation and let us all strive to run this life-long marathon with God. May all the glory, honour, and praise be onto His holy name.
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