Winter as a normal season in Life—Reverend Dr Yu Chee Huat of Chinese Methodist (Cantonese) Church Kuala Lumpur

9 Oct 2014 by Adeline Lum CM-

 

On 5^th of October, Reverend Dr Yu Chee Huat of the Chinese Methodist (Cantonese) Church in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur preached about the winter season in our life.

When God created the universe, every creation is good (Gen 1-2). This goodness includes winter, which is part of a four-cycle season in a year. Although it is marked by frigid colds and stagnant growth, it is nevertheless ‘good’ in God’s eyes.

Like the winter season, spiritual winter is a normal part of our life, which all of us will experience at one point in life through a lost, a death, a betrayal, and other painful experiences in life.

 

 

In fact, many people in the Bible also experienced spiritual winter in their lives including the psalmists, Job, King David, and King Solomon.

After plotting the death of Uriah, King David lamented to God’s heavy hand:

 

My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly. I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning. My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body. I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart. (Psalm 38:5-8)

 

 

And approximating the end of his kingdom, King Solomon also lamented:

                                                                                   

For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. (Ecclesiastes 2:21)

 

We ask God, “What went wrong in our life?” Many of us live in deep brokenness within our hearts. However, Rev Chee Huat shared that no hardships beat the inability to find God. The Psalmist cried:

 

But I cry to you for help, LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you. Why, LORD, do you reject me and hide your face from me? (Psalm 88:13-14)

 

But thankfully, the Lord has promised us that He will never leave nor forsake us! Although we may leave Him, God will never leave us. (Deut 31:6; Deut 31:8; Joshua 1:5; 1 Kings 8:57; 1 Chronicles 28:20; Psalms 37:28; Psalms 94:14; Isaiah 41:17; Isaiah 42:16; Hebrews 13:5)

 

 

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)

 

For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed; the offspring of the wicked will perish. (Psalm 37:28)

 

Rev Chee Huat shared 3 observations about the spiritual winter in our lives.

 

 

Firstly, none of us can avoid winter no matter how brilliant, positive, or cheerful we are.

Jesus said in John 16:33:

 

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this word you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

 

Indeed, Job has also experienced winter from losing his children, health, and wealth; he said:

 

Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward. (Job 5:7)

 

And Jesus experienced winter near the point of his death; He cried out to God, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46)

 

 

Secondly, we are tempted to isolate ourselves during winter because it carries within us a sense of failure, sham, pain, and exhaustion. But God wants us to spend this season with our sisters and brothers-in-Christ! We are made to live in community, hand-in-hand through troubles and not alone.

                                      

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! (Ecc 4:9-10)

 

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecc 4:12)

 

 

Thirdly, we need to cling to our hope in God when we go through winter. We must believe God’s Word is true. Even we cannot feel God is there, He is there. The psalmist said:

 

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:7-12)

 

 

We must never give up on this hope. God cares about you even if you feel he does not. Although it’s winter, we must believe that something is growing beneath the ground. Winter is not a dead season but something good will come out of your winter! God will redeem your winter!

 

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5)

 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

 

 

Ending his sermon, Rev Chee Huat shared 10 points of happiness by Pope Francis:

• Live and let live (meaning move forward in life and let others do the same)
• Be giving of ourselves to others
• Proceed calmly in life
• Have a healthy sense of leisure
• Rest days are for families
• Empower the youths
• Respect and take care of nature
• Stop being negative
• Don’t proselytize, respect others’ belief
• Work for peace

 

 

ABOUT Church:

Address | 362-A, Jalan Gajah, Pudu, 55100 Kuala Lumpur

Worship Service | Sunday | 9 AM (Mandarin / English) | 11:15 AM (English)

 

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