Belonging

I always hate being the odd one out and i dont think anyone like being the odd one out. I came to one stage where I didnt feel belong the group of friends i hang out with becoz they would ignore me completely sometimes. I also felt that i was so boring that my friend wouldnt be happy to talk to me and straight away talk to my other friends. I didnt know whether it was my fault because I was being too sensitive or my friends really2 did that in purpose because they didn't like me.

1 peter 1 says that I am strangers in this world which also means that i am the odd one out. Why am i strangers in this world?? becoz it says that we are God's elect which means that we are christians. Christians are strangers in the world because we received and accepted the offer of salvation and we do not want to go back to do things that are unpleasing to God which is sin. Romans 6 talks about how as christians, we was dead because of our sin but had been raised from the dead by God as he raised Christ from the dead. Now that we are alive, why do we wanna go back to do things that would lead us to death again??

So christians are strangers in the world because we do not belong to this sinful world.

Lets have comfort in God as christians that its okay to not feel belong to a certain group of friends or to the world or being left out, because we belong to God now and lets focus our mind and energy in God rather than on the world because the world would come to an end when jesus returns while god is eternal. In the end true friends would never ditch you no matter what condition your are in or how bad you are.

"If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you."

(John 15:19)

Forgiving Others

I was watching "the amazing race" the other day and one of the challange was you had to slide down a steep and very tall water slide to get your next clue which was the clue to the pitt stop. I was frustrated by one couple but amazed at what the guy did in the end. Basically, the girl was scared of height and water so she didnt want to slide down which made them eliminated from the race. In the end, the guy was saying something like " you have to be forgiving and no one is perfect. I thought to myself, "wowwwwwwww" He was very frustrated at her before but eventually genuinely forgave her. What an awesome attitude and I think forgiving others is one of the key to a healthy relationship, whatever relationship it is.

Before knowing what the guy would say, I thought to myself "they would break up after this race" what a normal thought i guess considering the guy was so frustrated at the girl and it was only becoz of a small thing. It seems small to me becoz its not my problem, but if i put myself in her position, i would've do the same thing as she did and it would be a big thing for me.

Hearing what the guy had to say, reminded me of God's grace and how he genuinely forgive me and my sin everytime i make him dissapointed. He never give up on me and would never break the relationship off.

I am challenged as someone who has tasted the Lord's forgiveness to do the same to others as well, whether they would be my family or friends or even strangers who happen to annoy me somehow.

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Ephessians 4:32)