With the advent of Artificial Intelligence there is further shortage of jobs, which was already critical. Added to this is the pressure of the family and friends, the competition to excel and move forward and the fear of being left out adds to the anxiety levels. But the basic question everyone is struggling with is how to spend his life in peace and contentment, while meeting the needs of the family in a decent manner.
Way to live with inner peace and joy – The main point of all existence is about who created everything? Scientists claim that matter came into being by itself and started the creation process. If that be so, then who controls the functioning of everything exactly the way it is? Can anything manage itself independent of some authority that ensures smooth functioning of everything? Since the answer to all this is obvious, we can accept the existence of someone who moves it all in the right ways, without any personal interest or motive but in love. It is well established that all of nature can neither create nor control itself, it could not have created the Controller Himself. Thus, God is Sovereign, Almighty, All-knowing and is present everywhere to ensure proper control.
With this knowledge recognised, we can also accept that God was and is aware of what it will be not only today, tomorrow but even beyond time. He created time and is not controlled by time. Apostle Peter could state, ‘do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as a day’ (2 Peter 3:8). Since God is above time, the ways of calculating time also do not matter to Him. He, being the great ‘I AM’, is not evolving or improving through gaining experience of managing everything. God is not detached from His creation and since we do not and cannot know Him, we attribute pain to Him for seeing the fallen state of all of creation.
Lord Jesus came to reveal God to humanity and is fully Man and fully God. He was troubled deep inside at the way one of the disciples, who had been with Him, had seen and heard everything, would betray Him (John 13:21). As God He knew all that would happen to Him but as a human being, He felt the pain of it all, for He came to save all, and not some one particular group of people only.
Knowledge and wisdom are gifts from God and all new technology evolves as per His plan and purpose. The problem does not come from technology but from the way it is used. When anything is used for the good of mankind, it becomes a blessing, otherwise a curse for all, including the few, who misuse it. Adam and Eve were created as adults and not as children, growing over time into adulthood. The daily visits of God in the evening were aimed at helping them mature (Genesis 3:8). To help Adam realise his full potential, God brought all animals, birds and other created beings to him to name them (Genesis 2:19. To name someone or something is to evaluate its function, qualities and weaknesses and then do it. Adam’s wisdom is seen in this that ‘whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name’. But that did not protect him, from the lies of the devil and from committing the sin of unbelief and disobedience. God had a plan for them to enjoy the abundance of the Garden of Eden, care for it, expand it and rule over every created being. But they lost it all and chose instead a life of hard work, pain and suffering.
Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob, but the firstborn of Rachel, whom Jacob loved. He had a dream defining the way his life would go and the dream was seen twice and confirmed. His older brothers hated him for the dreams and his attitude, and at the first opportunity, grabbed him and put him in a dry pit (Genesis 37:25-36). Seeing the Ishmaelite traders passing by, they sold Joseph to them. He was taken to Egypt and sold as a slave to one Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. But God was with him in the pit and as a slave to help him succeed in all that he did. A slave in a strange country whose language and culture were different, but he continued to live the life of righteousness.
Someone else would have accepted the offer of Potiphar’s wife to be with her but Joseph refused, saying, ‘How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?’ (Genesis 39:7-23). Her false accusation led to Joseph being put in prison but his diligent work was appreciated by the ‘keeper of the prison’. A slave had no rights, no trial or right of appeal and this was the absolute depth of despair and no future. Yet Joseph continued to live in the moment every day, in faith and hope in God and living every day to the full, doing his best. One fine morning, he was taken ‘out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing and came to Pharaoh’ in answer to the call to interpret his dream (Genesis 41:14; 40-45). Even in the darkness of the prison cell, God was with him. Every situation that we face is to train and prepare us for a greater responsibility and it is up to us to accept or complain and cry out to everyone except God for the unfairness of it all. Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream, was made the prime minister of Egypt and his dreams were truly fulfilled. When the future seems bleak and no opening visible, that is the time to look to the Lord’s rescue.
Those who do not give up on their dreams, despite the great odds that they are facing, are shown open doors of escape and opportunities. The Israelites were in slavery in Egypt, with no chance of escape, but God did not forget them. Pharaoh’s command to the midwives to kill the male children born to the Jewish women was not obeyed. Even the command to throw such male children into the Nile River, could not kill Moses, who was brought up in the Pharaoh’s palace. God trained him to deal with kings, humbled him in the wilderness, and when fully ready sent him to face the Pharaoh and lead the people out.
Apostle Paul from his own experience could say, ‘Be anxious for nothing, bit in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God’ (Philippians 4:6-7). Thanking the Lord for His presence and blessings, submitting and then bringing up the prayer, result in an answer. Then there is no situation where God cannot rescue, open new opportunities and bless. Joseph woke up in the prison cell but on the same day, slept in a palace. We diligently do what we are called to do and look for and humbly grab the helping hand.
Remaining professionally relevant tomorrow with today’s skills – During the second World War, the movement of large scales of manpower, equipment and ammunition was an unmanageable problem for the armies. The American Army, because of compulsory military service at that time, had many academicians also. They studied the problem and evolved mathematical solutions for this. After the war ended the lessons of the War were used by the Universities to develop Business Management Degree courses to train future managers in managing big business houses. I joined and completed an MBA Program at Madurai Kamraj University and faced great difficulty in learning the mathematical skills needed. After my retirement I was yet thinking about the future, but an opportunity came my way to join as Project Director of a Canadian Government Project for three years and then as Chief Administrator of a large hospital in Jalandhar. The image and likeness of God in us, is in the soul, which is connected to both the worldly and the heavenly realms.
God alone knows the complete picture of what the future will be for everyone in his life in his present circumstances. If one is connected to the worldly with no or a weak connection to the heavenly, he gets left behind, lost in the unknown and evolving future realities. Darkness of the unknown and invisible future frightens but God’s light working in us through His Spirit shows us the way. Then we start understanding the skills that we must acquire to stay relevant in our professional life. This is equally applicable in the spiritual and ministry work also. The resources available to learn and understand the depth of any subject are immense on the internet. But someone not trained in the way to use will either miss out or get directed to the lies being spread by non-believers who write about the Scriptures as learned theologians. Then in desperation we panic and stumble like the blind.
David was frightened from being chased by King Saul’s army and he fled to Gath, the city of Goliath, whom he had killed (1 Samuel 21:10-13). But realising the danger he was in, he pretended to be mad and thus escaped Achish the king of Gath. From there he escaped to the cave of Adullam. In a very short span of time, he evolved into a great warrior, an actor and a trainer and a leader, while remaining the wonderful musician, hymn writer and worshipper of God. Those who were failures of the society joined him to be turned into great and fearsome warriors (1 Samuel 22:2). In such uncertain times, the attitude matters and you have the chance to join the complainers and be like them. But like David, we can become the catalyst of change and help transform others to become an efficient group, ready to be used by God.
We are continually empowered by the Holy Spirit to adapt and improve. God has designed our bodies to adapt to the atmospheric circumstances, for the people live in the extreme cold climate of the glacier covered areas. There are equally communities living in the hot and arid desert areas. Our mind has the ability to work faster than any computer and process information. The trick to being relevant is to have the vertical relationship with God secure and strong and also the horizontal dealings with others in love and compassion. Then, God moves people towards us to guide, provide for and help achieve the required skills.
Way of daily living to remain successful – At Gibeon God appeared to King Solomon in a dream and asked him, ‘Ask! What shall I give you?’ (1 Kings 3:5-12). He sought an ‘understanding heart’ and the ability to ‘discern between good and evil’. He received what he asked with the promise ‘there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise’. What we ask in prayer and how we react after our prayers affects the answers we receive. More importantly, how do we begin and end our day? King David could pray, ‘My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up’ (Psalm 5:3). This is about looking up in worship and praise to the One who gives life.
The nine things that every believer must declare every morning, affect the work during the day. First, be thankful for the new day, for being alive. The second, recognise and declare that God has a purpose for your life and seek His help to achieve that. Third, accept and live in your God-given strength to face any situation and overcome that with His presence in us, The fourth, I will not let fear control me but as a child of God I have the Holy Spirit in me to fill me with power and self-control. The fifth, I will speak life over my life and my dreams for the fullness of God operating in and through me for a blessing to others. Sixth, I will continue to walk in faith and not be afraid of the turmoil around me. Seventh, my God is in me and I am worthy of respect and love, for He loves me. The eighth, I will be a blessing to someone today through my words of encouragement and good works. Finally, declare that this day is a gift from God and I will make the most of it.
Lord Jesus was challenged by the devil and his forces, the Jewish leaders and the prevailing situation around Him, but He prevailed over everything through faith in the power and the authority as son of God. The same Holy Spirit works in us also to help us live like Him and succeed.
Our success in life does not depend on our own competence and skills but on our relationship with God above. The world had sealed Lord Jesus, after crucifying Him, in the tomb. However, the darkness of the tomb could not restrain Him. The same God is in us helping us by filling us with His strength and authority to move forward and prevail over evil and darkness around us.
