teci's thesis, episode 3: all it takes

all it takes is A LITTLE faith. even the smallest of the small.

as long as it's sincere.

faith = complete, total trust.

it doesn't have to be big faith, because it's the One you're trusting who's BIG.

The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"
He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you. (Luke 17:5-6)

Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive [the demon] out?" He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:19-20)

i believe in God and know that He'll see me through. the details, though, i don't know yet.

but just today God gave me a hint...

believe in...

(drumroll, please...)

myself.

hehehe. hmm, this might sound like false teaching! :)

but of course not! :) i only mean that in the course of trusting God in the abstract, i fail to see myself actually doing my thesis and finishing it on time, this semester. it has sometimes become a cliche for me to say that God will see me through, while i don't concretely, clearly believe that it will happen to me.

how simplistic, you might think. ah, yes! it's sometimes the simple things that i do not see.

besides, how can i see that i sincerely believe that God will help me, if i do not see myself succeeding? if i see myself triumph, the glory and the thanks still belong to Him for helping me. and if i don't see myself victorious, then i don't really have even a mustard seed of faith.

i'm so blessed that my research advisers have for a long time believed in me fully, more than i do in myself. i'm honored for that. :)

but something one adviser said struck me a while ago.

i have to believe that my thesis statement is true. that the claim in my research is valid. then it will all start to happen.

that's how it happened to my adviser. (talk about giving great advice!) sincerely, be convinced within yourself that it's possible, no matter what others say. it's all up to you, it all depends on you believing sincerely that it's possible and you can see it happen :)

interesting! faith before action. you have to believe it before you see it! :)

(i was right in making this a series! so much testimony for one thesis that doesn't even exist yet!!! oops! don't show this blog to my advisers!!!...)

:)

The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches. (Mark 4:30-31; Matthew 13:31-32; Luke 13:18-19)