Over the past few days of our retreat, we have explored that when we view our earthly life from the perspective of an “earthly pilgrimage,” that is, when we view our earthly life as “pilgrims,” we can more easily face the various encounters and challenges in life from God’s perspective.
Before we continue on our journey, let us take this opportunity to pause and examine the path ahead of us, so that we may develop the right mindset to face the difficulties of life.
For this reason, over the past few days, we have reflected from different perspectives on the deeper meaning behind the challenges in our lives. These challenges are like examinations in our life journey, basic daily training for a “spiritual athlete,” encounters with Jesus, especially moments when we experience His loving hand lifting us up, intimate opportunities to deepen our relationship as children of the Father, the opportunity to witness the mighty power of God’s work in us, and the opportunity for Him to build our confidence. Most importantly, these challenges allow us to personally experience how our Heavenly Father loves us to the end!
Our Heavenly Father continuously helps us grow and improve ourselves, narrowing the gap between us and Him, until we can finally be in perfect communion with the Holy Trinity.
God’s desire for a relationship with us is like a transcendent marriage, once united, it can never be separated!
This is the greatest and most perfect gift God has given to human beings, His creation. The temporary sufferings we endure in this life are nothing compared to the infinite and perfect joy of eternal life we will experience!
In short, God’s ultimate desire is to be with us forever, even if it means giving up everything He has.
On the other hand, the devil watches us closely, because its only goal is to separate us from our Heavenly Father forever. Therefore, it uses cunning deception and temptation to lead us into sin, causing us to doubt our worth, feel discouraged, and lose hope. It wants us to give up trying and to avoid challenges altogether. To completely defeat us, the devil uses every trick to make us feel helpless, hopeless, lonely, abandoned, and finally fall into despair. The moment we surrender and give up, Satan can claim victory before God!
There are only two directions in our earthly journey: one leads toward God, the other toward the world. Since the devil is not on God’s side, it can only lurk in this world, waiting for opportunities to ambush us.
Therefore, we only have one choice in life: to walk with God and constantly strive toward heaven.
Otherwise, we drift along with worldly values and may eventually succumb to them, unknowingly fall into the devil’s trap.
Our time on earth is short, and its length is beyond our control. Therefore,
we must make a wise choice as soon as possible, to stand with God and remain steadfast, without wavering, so that the enemy has no chance to attack us!
Reflection
Do you realize that the choices we make in this life have a crucial impact on whether we can reach the final destination of our earthly pilgrimage? Through today’s reflection, will you be more careful and deliberate in making life choices?
Have you spent a great deal of time planning for your earthly life while neglecting to prepare for eternal life with the same effort and dedication?
Have you truly made a firm decision to choose God over worldly things? Or do you find yourself wavering, constantly changing your mind?
Today’s Prayer
My dear Heavenly Father, I realize that I have not thought deeply about life or understood its real value. Because of this, I have not recognized my precious worth in Your eyes. I have been easily influenced by worldly thoughts and swayed by others, causing me to fail in choosing You wholeheartedly.
I now see that I have been blinded by the enemy, thinking that I was already doing well, content with fulfilling the most basic responsibilities, feeling self-satisfied, and believing that I was better than others. But in reality, I have treated this precious life You have given me with superficiality, missing many opportunities to learn and encounter You.
Heavenly Father, thank You for awakening me again, allowing me to better understand Your will and to see my life and myself from Your perspective. Please do not let me remain indifferent to Your love or continue delaying my decision to choose You. From today onward, I want to belong entirely to You, forever and always!
You are invited to visit the YouTube channel, where all participants are encouraged to join and share their reflections.
Fundraising Appeal
Thank you for participating in this 40-day Lenten spiritual journey. We hope you have been inspired and have benefitted from it! For the spiritual benefit of all of you, Fountain of Love and Life devotes a lot of time and effort in producing various spiritual projects every year, and all our ministries are sustained by the generous donations of our supporters. We hope you will support us with prayers and donations. Please make an online donation using the button at the top of the website Lent.FLL.cc. Thank you very much for your support. God bless!
Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
Writer: Paul Yeung
Project Manager: Michael Lam, Rosa Tse
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: J. Johnson
Mandarin Narrator: C. Zhou
Audio Editors: Cyan Cheung, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Arnold Chan, Cyan Cheung, Sander Lee
Graphics: Francis Lai, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“3 MINUTES RELAXATION MUSIC | 4K Scenic View of Tuscany” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Sea of Memory” by Aakash Gandhi https://www.youtube.com/@88keystoeuphoria