Mission week: my testimony

Mission Week has started and today's lunchbar topic is one that has always intrigued me- "How can a loving God allow suffering?"

And as a Christian, I myself find it hard to answer that question. Perhaps it might be more useful to read up more on the topic on this website- www.bethinking.org, which I've started doing just this morning. :) OR attend the lunchbar/evening talk itself! lol

P.S If anyone wants to go for lunchbar (free lunch and a short talk), feel free to text me and I'll go with you! Will be helping to prepare lunch b4 that.

Tmr's topic is thought-provoking as well. "Happiness: the most important thing in life?"
Is it really? I rmb so much in secondary school wanting happiness, becos I wasn't very happy, in truth just plain miserable, especially at upper secondary level. But somehow, God just brought me through.. Went to VJC, got to know a wonderful grp of friends who really matter to me. :) I think it was the start of my spiritual re-awakening too; met Thong who challenged me to know more about God with his passion and openness about his relationship with God. JC years were good; my interest in God and spiritual things reached a new high. Attended a couple of church camps too, where God really spoke to me about letting go of my past, with all my fears and insecurities, hurts and failures. Broke down and there was so much release of the mass of bad things trapped inside. It was incredible- experiencing God's healing so personally. Met a great grp of people from Brighton Community Church too, who really helped me grow spiritually. Can't wait to be back with them!

Received an email from Cheh a few days ago and she told me how amazed she was at how God has transformed me from the inside out; in a mere couple of years. And how there was a real breakthrough; exponential growth when I left for the UK. Indeed praise the Lord! God has changed me, in so many areas. I'm so thankful that I feel free to be myself- I'm not enslaved by fear or worry all the time. And I'm discovering so many things- Of myself, of the world around me, of God Himself. I've got to thank the numerous people who faithfully pray for me every day. :) Have to thank Cheh especially, she's been there for me and with me right from the start of my spiritual journey, pointing me to the God who loves me more than anyone else in the world. The CU here is excellent too- solid teaching of God's word and very genuine and spiritually mature Christians as friends and leaders. I'm excited to serve with them next year. :)

So in answer to the question: Is happiness the most important thing in life? My personal answer would be no, because happiness never lasts- it simply cannot; that's just the way life is. Life is a package; we must accept its sorrows, setbacks and suffering that inevitably come our way. Knowing God as my Lord and Saviour is the most important thing in life for me. I trust Him, in happiness and misery, good times and bad times.