[I Thirst] Day 23 – Self-imposed Barricades

In this retreat a few days ago, it was mentioned that our Heavenly Father doesn’t want to let go of us. No matter how much we want to forsake Him, He still desires to be with us. In fact, our lives cannot be complete without our Heavenly Father and without knowing our individual calling from Him. Therefore, to encounter our Heavenly Father also means that we need to learn to listen to His voice, and to discern His will. This is not something that can be accomplished overnight, and it requires us to maintain a good relationship with our Heavenly Father. Many factors affect this relationship, in which our “mindset” has a significant role to play. And our mindset is greatly influenced by our age.

The age factor is certainly not a criterion for us to get close to God or a factor of consideration when He calls us. In the Bible, whether Jesus is choosing disciples, healing those in need, delivering His sermon on the mount, or preaching in public, He does not focus on young people or those who are capable, such as deliberately choosing those learned or experienced to help Him establish the church and spread the Gospel. Therefore, if Jesus does not use our age and background as criteria for calling us, then there is no ground for us to refuse or deny God's invitation to us. If we doubt God in this regard, that means we don’t trust Him, in which case, we really have no relationship with Him! Therefore, we should not judge how God treats us and invites us based on our current situation, whether it is age, background, experience, ability, and so on. We play no role in this nor is it up to us to make such judgments.

Our mindset is a crucial factor affecting whether we can get close to God, and whether our mindset is biased or not depends on our assumptions and judgments. For example, if we assume that God only chooses, favours, or prefers those who are capable and young to become His disciples and establish a close relationship with Him, and appoints them to preach the Gospel, then we will naturally not take the initiative to get close to God because we have already assumed that if God has a choice, He will not actively approach and choose us. Having this mindset is like falling into the devil's trap, thinking that we are not good enough to be loved and used by God. This is not God's intention and plan, but our way of reasoning  determines our behaviour, and unfortunately, this behaviour also determines our final destination, that is, the fruits we can bear in our lives and, ultimately, whether we can attain holiness!

Another key factor that affects whether we can approach God is whether we choose to follow the paths that God loves, such as poverty, meekness, mercy, generosity, patience, purity of heart, peacemaking, and so on, and stay away from the paths that God detests, such as pride, self-righteousness, love of judgment, envy, greed, deceit, slander, and stirring up trouble. This is not about flattering God, but about truly loving what God loves and despising what God despises.

Apparently, it is not easy for the proud and self-righteous Pharisees to get close to God. So when we feel resentful or complain that God is distant from us, and that He doesn't love or care for us, let us also examine ourselves and ask whether it is because God is unwilling to approach us, or whether our mindset and actions have unconsciously pushed God away from us? The prerequisite for getting close to God and encountering Him is to abide in God. If God is holy and perfect, and we deliberately sin or choose to live in sinfulness, how can we also abide in Him? If we do not abide in God, how can we have a personal or intimate relationship with Him? And without a healthy relationship, how can we hear His voice? In this way, it is not surprising that we are unable to receive from God the personal "instruction manual" for our lives, or cannot discern His will and calling for us. It is not fair for us to pass the blame onto our Heavenly Father!


Reflection

What obstacles do you think exist in your relationship with the Heavenly Father?

Please examine how your biased mindset affects your relationship with the Heavenly Father.

Now, in silence, ask the Heavenly Father to reveal to you what changes He wants you to make in your mindset to bring you closer to Him.


Today’s Prayer

Abba Father, I know that You constantly thirst for me, thirst for my love for You, and You also know that I thirst for You too. But when I don't feel the intimacy between You and me, I often feel disappointed. I have complained that You don't love me enough, and that's why I can't feel the intimacy between us. Today, I understand that my mindset has been affecting my relationship with You. Please let me see clearly and teach me how to correct the deviations in my mindset, so that I can establish a truly intimate relationship with You. Heavenly Father, I really long for You. Please accept my imperfect love for You!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

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What is Farmer of Hearts - Finding Hope in God’s Kingdom?

As we navigate through the maze of life in this fast changing world, it’s easy to lose sight of the important things that keep us going and help us stay on track. In a world plagued by an epidemic of depression and hopelessness like never before, it’s clear that what the world offers is leading us in the wrong direction.

On the other hand, studies consistently show that individuals with higher levels of hope report lower levels of depression and anxiety. High hope is also linked to better stress management and enhanced resilience. The benefits of having hope are endless.

- How can we become more positive?
- Is there a way to cultivate hope in our lives?
- What role does our Christian faith play in nurturing hope?
- What insights can our faith offer that the world cannot?

In this Year of the Jubilee, we are reminded once again of our identity as pilgrims on earth. We have the choice to either embrace hope or fall into despair. The theme of this year’s “Farmer of Hearts” Lenten online retreat is “Finding Hope in God’s Kingdom.” You might ask, “Why do we need to find hope if we are already in God’s Kingdom? Isn’t it true that when this world passes, faith and hope will no longer be needed?” It’s important not to confuse “God’s Kingdom” with “Heaven.” Here, we refer to God’s Kingdom as His sovereignty on earth.

This Lenten retreat offers reflections and practical insights on how we can become “Pilgrims of Hope” in light of the “Kingdom of God” as taught by Jesus. By using the framework of God’s Kingdom, we gain a fresh perspective to see the world, those around us, and ourselves through God’s eyes.

Rather than remaining purely conceptual, Jesus provides a practical framework through which we can reshape our worldview—a new perspective that inspires hope. The hope Jesus offers is unshakable, something the world can never provide. It’s a model we can adopt here and now, not just an abstract theory or a utopia we can only reach when we enter Heaven. Life will certainly be full of challenges, but it’s through these challenges that we mature in our faith and in our relationship with God. Having hope is crucial on the road toward holiness and the Father’s house. It is certainly worth spending these 40 days of the Lenten Season reflecting on this vital theme.

Pilgrimage is a journey, a process with a clear destination, and we need companions along the way. We invite you to join us on this exciting journey of hope as a community of fellow pilgrims. See you at the starting point!

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In this retreat a few days ago, it was mentioned that our Heavenly Father doesn’t want to let go of us. No matter how much we want to forsake Him, He still desires to be with us. In fact, our lives cannot be complete without our Heavenly Father and without knowing our individual calling from Him. Therefore, to encounter our Heavenly Father also means that we need to learn to listen to His voice, and to discern His will. This is not something that can be accomplished overnight, and it requires us to maintain a good relationship with our Heavenly Father. Many factors affect this relationship, in which our “mindset” has a significant role to play. And our mindset is greatly influenced by our age.

The age factor is certainly not a criterion for us to get close to God or a factor of consideration when He calls us. In the Bible, whether Jesus is choosing disciples, healing those in need, delivering His sermon on the mount, or preaching in public, He does not focus on young people or those who are capable, such as deliberately choosing those learned or experienced to help Him establish the church and spread the Gospel. Therefore, if Jesus does not use our age and background as criteria for calling us, then there is no ground for us to refuse or deny God's invitation to us. If we doubt God in this regard, that means we don’t trust Him, in which case, we really have no relationship with Him! Therefore, we should not judge how God treats us and invites us based on our current situation, whether it is age, background, experience, ability, and so on. We play no role in this nor is it up to us to make such judgments.

Our mindset is a crucial factor affecting whether we can get close to God, and whether our mindset is biased or not depends on our assumptions and judgments. For example, if we assume that God only chooses, favours, or prefers those who are capable and young to become His disciples and establish a close relationship with Him, and appoints them to preach the Gospel, then we will naturally not take the initiative to get close to God because we have already assumed that if God has a choice, He will not actively approach and choose us. Having this mindset is like falling into the devil's trap, thinking that we are not good enough to be loved and used by God. This is not God's intention and plan, but our way of reasoning determines our behaviour, and unfortunately, this behaviour also determines our final destination, that is, the fruits we can bear in our lives and, ultimately, whether we can attain holiness!

Another key factor that affects whether we can approach God is whether we choose to follow the paths that God loves, such as poverty, meekness, mercy, generosity, patience, purity of heart, peacemaking, and so on, and stay away from the paths that God detests, such as pride, self-righteousness, love of judgment, envy, greed, deceit, slander, and stirring up trouble. This is not about flattering God, but about truly loving what God loves and despising what God despises.

Apparently, it is not easy for the proud and self-righteous Pharisees to get close to God. So when we feel resentful or complain that God is distant from us, and that He doesn't love or care for us, let us also examine ourselves and ask whether it is because God is unwilling to approach us, or whether our mindset and actions have unconsciously pushed God away from us? The prerequisite for getting close to God and encountering Him is to abide in God. If God is holy and perfect, and we deliberately sin or choose to live in sinfulness, how can we also abide in Him? If we do not abide in God, how can we have a personal or intimate relationship with Him? And without a healthy relationship, how can we hear His voice? In this way, it is not surprising that we are unable to receive from God the personal "instruction manual" for our lives, or cannot discern His will and calling for us. It is not fair for us to pass the blame onto our Heavenly Father!

Reflection

What obstacles do you think exist in your relationship with the Heavenly Father?

Please examine how your biased mindset affects your relationship with the Heavenly Father.

Now, in silence, ask the Heavenly Father to reveal to you what changes He wants you to make in your mindset to bring you closer to Him.

Today’s Prayer

Abba Father, I know that You constantly thirst for me, thirst for my love for You, and You also know that I thirst for You too. But when I don't feel the intimacy between You and me, I often feel disappointed. I have complained that You don't love me enough, and that's why I can't feel the intimacy between us. Today, I understand that my mindset has been affecting my relationship with You. Please let me see clearly and teach me how to correct the deviations in my mindset, so that I can establish a truly intimate relationship with You. Heavenly Father, I really long for You. Please accept my imperfect love for You!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.