FOP Finale Thoughts

Hmmm... today's last day of FOP and as we ends off FOP, I left with two main thoughts... remnants of FOP and the things that happened over the past few days...

Rev Colin Dye finished off the FOP with this statement that kept me thinking for the past few hours... "In quietness and confidence is our greatest strength"... when I heard that quote, the truth of it kept ringing in my mind... many times it's in the quietiest moments of our lives, when no one is looking, no one is watching, when we're all alone, that our true strength manifests itself... and it is when in that quietness, as we build confidence in ourselves and in God, that we learn strength.

If fear is the opposite of faith, then the absence of faith in any situation represents certain fears in our life. When we don't activate our faith, we are in fact fearful. It is kinda like making decisions. Many times we put off making decisions and not do anything, but that in itself is a decision. So, when we stop the faith process at any stage, fear is manifesting itself subtly through our inactivity.

The other thought I had relates to the stuff that had been happening and it makes me question "What is friendship? How do you become a friend?" Simple but yet profound question. To add to the many definitions that is available in the market of self-help, motivational and relational books around, I believe that "friendship is just simply being there and being a blessing".

Being there as in the absolute sense of spirit, soul and body for a person. In as much as we can go out with friends, watch movies, coffee and stuff, being there is really the assurance that your friend or whoever would be there when you need him or her. There is that quiet confidence that you know if you're in trouble, you can run to the person and he or she will unreservedly be there for you spirit, soul and body.

Many times, there are people who are there in one part only. They may be there physically, but their minds are thinking about other stuff. Or they may even be there physically and mentally engaging you in conversation, but their heart is far away from you. People who are just there because they have to be there or because they are your "friend"... so no choice lah... but I believe true friends are there for you spirit, soul and body; heart, mind and body.

And a friend seeks to bless and not just to be blessed. They are there to be a blessing to the ones around them and in as much as he or she is able, bless the other person. We learn that to be blessed is to be empowered to succeed. So when we bless another person, we empowers the other person, their visions and dreams, their hopes and desires.

And just a side thought to this whole thing. Can you be a friend even if there is no friendship? Can you still be there for a person and bless the person, even though there is no friendship, i.e. the other person is not a friend to you? I try with all my heart to believe that it can be done. In the hypocritical and fallen world that we live in, the world has enough of those people who are there just to gain something or who are there but yet not really there.

If I would, I would love to add to the number of those who sincerely wants to be there for people and be a blessing by empowering the people around me to succeed in life, so help me God.