2017 Life guide | Happy New Year 2017

Hi there~

Happy New Year 2017!

I wrote this post on my flight to KL yesterday. I was so homesick, I did cried after my mum and my little brother left. But, I'm a big girl, I can't be like this so I decided to read my Bible apps to make me feel better. I read my favourite one which is Ecclesiastes/Pengkhutbah. It's talked about how meaningless is our life and what we should do while we live in this world. Previous days(before new year), I have read one book about "What the purpose of my life?"/Apakah tujuan hidupku?. I bought this book for my father back in 2013 or 2014, I don't remember the exact year to make him feel better or have hope in his life after the tragedy of his life.

This year, this book is perfect for me as I always looking or asking myself what my life purpose.As I get older, sometime I don't know what I'm looking for and sometime I was so clear about what I want in my life.

So, based on the Ecclesiastes and this book, I share with you guys "My 2017 life guide".

1.If you want a good life, read your Bible as your daily basis.

It's better to make resolutions to read Bible more and less scrolling and scrolling social media because from there you'll start to comparing and feel bad about your life this year.

I'm Christian for 27 years and believe or not, I never read Bible passionately before, until last year, my heart was captured by God's words. I have read so many life guide book before and as some people say, God's words are powerful and it's happened to me last year. I know I should read Bible for life guidance but I always prefer other but other book never make me feel good and having hope. I  was constantly looking for something, I feel empty in my life and I don't know what can satisfy me. I work so hard for my job, I trying my best to be a better person every day.I learned so much from my readings and even though I read it over and over again, I always feel different. You might think, that's happened to everyone that read Bible. Yes, you definitely should try.When I started, I honestly tell you, I fall asleep with my Bible on my face because the Bible make me feel sleepy but I prayed to God, I want to read the Bible and I want to know who is the amazing God that I praised all of my life.

2. Don’t always worry, things never change

4People live and people die, but the earth continues forever. 5The sun rises and the sun goes down, and then it hurries to rise again in the same place.- Ecclesiastes1:4-5

For 28 years I lived in this world, I have witnessed many changes in this world especially my own world.Start from my lifestyle, the way I'm thinking and much more.But, as I see again, the skies, the places like my home, my kampung is stayed the same.Things never change actually.

3. Nothing is new.

9 All things continue the way they have been since the beginning. The same things will be done that have always been done. There is nothing new in this life.-Ecclesiastes 1:9

4. How to find the real happiness?

24-25There is no one who has tried to enjoy life more than I have. And this is what I learned: The best thing people can do is eat, drink, and enjoy the work they must do. I also saw that this comes from God.- Ecclesiastes 2:14-25
Everyone is looking for happiness, right? Who doesn't want to be happy in this life? I always thought having more money, friends and owned many materials make me happy. I did happy for some time but I don't feel satisfied. I always wanted more than I ever had and always compare whatever I had with somebody that I know and doesn't know. Weird, right?

5. Wisdom

16Whether people are wise or foolish, they will still die, and no one will remember either one of them forever. In the future, people will forget everything both of them did. So the two are really the same.-Ecclesiastes
The above verse make you feel weird and confuse,right? 

Life is full of opportunity, competition and challenges. To get through all this, we need wisdom. Where you can find wisdom? Personally, I was looking for wisdom for the whole of my life. I never stopped make myself learned something and always keep upgrading my knowledge to stay relevant in this world.

6. A time for everything

"1There is a right time for everything, and everything on earth will happen at the right time.- Ecclesiastes 3:1 

I always wanted everything goes just like I wanted. What I plan must happen on the time I wanted.But, as God's says You can read more on Ecclesiastes 3:2-8.

7. God in control

Whenever my life situation is out of control, I will wake up early in the morning, read my devotional and God's words and keep reminding myself all day "God in control", I'm glad I found a song from Hillsong Worship, God in Control from Let there be a light album. I can't stop listening to this all day long.I have experienced how miserable is life and I feel like nobody is there for me but thanks to Holy Spirit, keep reminding me and keep my faith.

14I learned that anything God does will continue forever. People cannot add anything to the work of God, and they cannot take anything away from it. God did this so that people would respect him. 15What happened in the past has happened, and what will happen in the future will happen. But God wants to help those who have been treated badly.

So, what should we do?

12I learned that the best thing for people to do is to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live.13God wants everyone to eat, drink, and enjoy their work. These are gifts from God.-Ecclesiastes

8. Work hard

6Maybe that is true. But I say it is better to be satisfied with the few things you have than to always be struggling to get more.-Ecclesiastes

Yes, we can work hard but always remember you work hard to glorify God's name, not your own.Don't work hard to pleased other but to glorify God's name.

9. Family and friends

I'm thankful for having family and friends in any situation in my life. These people that I worth to spend time with, talking, teasing and do so many things with them.

9Two people are better than one. When two people work together, they get more work done.

10If one person falls, the other person can reach out to help. But those who are alone when they fall have no one to help them.

12An enemy might be able to defeat one person, but two people can stand back-to-back to defend each other. And three people are even stronger. They are like a rope that has three parts wrapped together—it is very hard to break.

Ecclesiastes 4: 9,10,12

10.Be careful on making promises

1Be very careful when you go to worship God. It is better to listen to God than to give sacrifices like fools. Fools often do bad things, and they don’t even know it. 

2Be careful when you make promises to God. Be careful about what you say to him. Don’t let your feelings cause you to speak too soon. God is in heaven, and you are on the earth. So you need to say only a few things to him. This saying is true:

3Bad dreams come from too many worries, and too many words come from the mouth of a fool.

4If you make a promise to God, keep your promise. Don’t be slow to do what you promised. God is not happy with fools. Give God what you promised to give him. 

5It is better to promise nothing than to promise something and not be able to do it. 

6So don’t let your words cause you to sin. Don’t say to the priest, “I didn’t mean what I said.” If you do this, God might become angry with your words and destroy everything you have worked for.

7You should not let your useless dreams and bragging bring you trouble. You should respect God.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

11.Wealth cannot buy happiness

Again, it's all about happiness. We all want happiness in this life, but always remember, wealth cannot buy happiness. 

10Those who love money will never be satisfied with the money they have. Those who love wealth will not be satisfied when they get more and more. This is also senseless.

15People come into the world with nothing. And when they die, they leave with nothing. They might work hard to get things, but they cannot take anything with them when they die. 16It is very sad that people leave the world just as they came. So what does a person gain from “trying to catch the wind”? 

Ecclesiastes 5:10,15

12.Enjoy your life's work

The first time, I received my work salary, I was excited and I can't believe it. It's finally my own money, not my parent. I'm very proud of myself and I'm thankful for the strength that God gave me to do my work.

18I have seen what is best for people to do on earth: They should eat, drink, and enjoy the work they have during their short time here. God has given them these few days, and that is all they have.

19If God gives some people wealth, property, and the power to enjoy those things, they should enjoy them. They should accept the things they have and enjoy their work—that is a gift from God. 

20People don’t have many years to live, so they must remember these things all their life. God will keep them busy with the work they love to do.

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

13.People cannot be really good

15In my short life, I have seen everything. I have seen good people die young, and I have seen evil people live long lives. 16-17So why ruin your life? Don’t be too good or too bad, and don’t be too wise or too foolish. Why should you die before your time?

Ecclesiastes 7:15,16,17

14.Wisdom and power

1No one can understand and explain things the way wise people can. Their wisdom makes them happy. It changes a sad face into a happy one.

6There is a right time and a right way to do everything. You must decide what you should do, even when it might cause problems 

7and you are not sure what will happen. No one can tell you what will happen in the future.

Ecclesiastes 8:1,6,7

15.Enjoy your life while you can

7So go and eat your food now and enjoy it. Drink your wine and be happy. It is all right with God if you do these things. 

8Wear nice clothes and make yourself look good. 

9Enjoy life with the wife you love. Enjoy every day of your short life. God has given you this short life on earth—and it is all you have. So enjoy the work you have to do in this life. 

10Every time you find work to do, do it the best you can. In the grave, there is no work. There is no thinking, no knowledge, and there is no wisdom. And we are all going to the place of death.

Ecclesiastes9:7,8,9,10

16.Every job has danger

8If you dig a hole, you might fall into it. If you break down a wall, you might be bitten by a snake.

9If you are moving large stones, you might be hurt by them. If you cut down a tree, you are in danger of it falling on you.

10But wisdom will make any job easier. It is very hard to cut with a dull knife. But if you sharpen the knife, the job is easier.

Ecclesiastes 10:8-10

17.Boldly face the future

5You don’t know where the wind blows. And you don’t know how a baby grows in its mother’s womb. In the same way, you don’t know what God will do—and he makes everything happen.

7It is good to be alive. It is nice to see the light from the sun. 

8You should enjoy every day of your life, no matter how long you live. But remember that you will die, and you will be dead much longer than you were alive. And after you are dead, you cannot do anything.

Ecclesiastes 11:5,7,8

18.Serve God while you're young

9So young people, enjoy yourselves while you are young. Be happy. Do whatever your heart leads you to do. Do whatever you want, but remember that God will judge you for everything you do. 10Don’t let your anger control you, and don’t let your body lead you to sin.People do foolish things in the dawn of life while they are young.

Ecclesiastes 11:9-10

20.We going to be old someday so use your young time wisely.

1Remember your Creator while you are young, before the bad times come—before the years come when you say, “I have wasted my life.”

2Remember your Creator while you are young, before the time comes when the sun and the moon and the stars become dark to you—before problems come again and again like one storm after another.

3At that time your arms will lose their strength. Your legs will become weak and bent. Your teeth will fall out, and you will not be able to chew your food. Your eyes will not see clearly. 

4You will become hard of hearing. You will not hear the noise in the streets. Even the stone grinding your grain will seem quiet to you. You will not be able to hear the women singing. But even the sound of a bird singing will wake you early in the morning because you will not be able to sleep.

5You will be afraid of high places. You will be afraid of tripping over every small thing in your path. Your hair will become white like the flowers on an almond tree. You will drag yourself along like a grasshopper when you walk. You will lose your desire, and then you will go to your eternal home. The mourners will gather in the streets as they carry your body to the grave.

Ecclesiastes 12:1-5

21.Death

7Your body came from the earth.And when you die, it will return to the earth.But your spirit came from God,and when you die, it will return to him.

Ecclesiastes 12: 7

 Frankly speaking, I'm afraid whenever I got called in the middle of night. I'm afraid to hear someone in our family will be gone.

I know this article is heavily about what I believe but I believe in God's words and I never feel ashamed about that. I have been see what God has done to my life so far and I want to be faithful despite any circumantaces of my life. My life reality is not beautiful as you seen on my blog,Facebook or Instagram. I have my own struggles, sometime I depressed thinking of my future and there some sorrow moments that I never tell anybody except God. 

This new year, nothing I ever wanted. I want God give me strength to have faithful heart and soul to get through this unpredictable life, served God with all my heart and whatever I had and love people just like I love Jesus. It's the hardest resolution ever but I will try my best everday.

As I officially closed my 2016 page, I'm thankful for my 2016 journey. Thanks for those who pray for me.God is good, all the time.

For those who read this, thank you for reading and I hope this article will be useful for you.

13Look at what God has made. You cannot change a thing, even if you think it is wrong. 

14When life is good, enjoy it. But when life is hard, remember that God gives us good times and hard times. And no one knows what will happen in the future.-Ecclesiastes 7: 13-14

Photo source: www.google.com/firework

Article reference:https://www.bible.com/bible/406/ecc.1

 Have a blessed year ahead and God bless you!

Love,

keriitleto paya