SOCL Thanksgiving #1

Written by Jermaine Lim, SIM, Participant

Before coming into SOCL, I always wanted to take control of my life because living in uncertainty made me very fearful, hence, taking control of my life felt like something that gave me security but at the same time, not enough to fill this void in my heart. Many times, when I faced obstacles or my own struggles, I always relied on myself to handle these situations and turned to God only when things got worse or made me feel like there is no hope. I often tried to be God, wanting to be that perfect child of God/daughter/friend/partner/ whatever our roles call us to be. Growing up made me want to seek that self-perfection even more, to live up to the expectations of society and not to be a disappointment. It was in these lies that made me feel inadequate, unworthy, lousy and many other negative scripts I told myself.

However, during SOCL, the Lord has revealed to me that these negative scripts I told myself were lies and that I am MORE than what I think I am. There is no affirmation that will make us feel whole but the heavenly affirmation, that I am a work in progress and to be patient with myself and with God. It is so easy for us to be harsh on ourselves and then get upset when we don’t meet our expectations but have we considered looking to God when things get tough? In 1 John 4:18, it says ‘there is no fear in perfect love, for perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment’. There is nothing we can do to make Him love us more and nothing we have done to make Him love us less.

Today I want to claim the truth that I am healed, protected and loved by Jesus Christ, that He heals because He loves us, because He is God. He is a God who loves unconditionally, who looks into you and does not condemn, a God who is trustworthy.

Written by Natalie Khoo, NUS, Participant

Before coming to SOCL, I’ve always tried to fill the void in my heart with worldly things like recognition from others or material possessions but in doing so, I’ve been disappointed time and time again. In this search for something that could make me feel whole, I did not realise I was in pursuit for something that this world could not offer me. 

During SOCL, one of the speakers shared a quote that said “If I find myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world”. I truly claim this truth for myself, the truth that only God can offer a form of love that fills me up and overflows like no other. A love that demands nothing from me other than to be myself, a love that calls me Beloved. Today, I am proud to say that I am starting to discover God for who He really is – my father, friend, comforter but most importantly, lover. Having experienced a life magnified in Christ, there is no turning back, for those who have experienced a life in Christ never go back the same way as they did before. 

To all my brothers and sisters, I say to you that there is no fear in intimacy with the Lord, there is only love, great love to be lavished upon you. He is the Lord who turns graves into gardens and the Lord that desires a deeper healing for you.

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