In recent years, Hong Kong has seen incidents of people of various ages losing their will to live and committing suicide. Often, these stem from the inability to find solutions to their plight. To avoid burdening or adding pressure to family and friends, they make irreversible decisions, leaving those around them with deep grief and regrets.

       We must realize that regardless of how overwhelming our difficulties may seem, God still promises to grant us strength, grace and blessings for life. The psalmist proclaims: The death of His godly people is precious in God’s sight. He delights in freeing us from the chains in our lives. That God has preserved our lives until this moment surely holds significant value and purpose. Therefore, we should call upon His name, fulfill our vows to Him, and offer Him a sacrifice of thanksgiving (Psalm 116:15-19). The wise Teacher also advises: “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, ‘I find no pleasure in them’” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). Remembering God is a vital discipline in our spiritual life.

       Thus, the Lord Jesus reminds us, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Christ’s words reveal not only God’s will for our lives to be good and to grow well but also reshape our understanding of life’s value as well as renew our old patterns of living. Even though wars and pandemics persist, casting many into the shadow of death, and despite societal breakdown that leaves lives bleak and helpless, Paul still bears a beautiful testimony to the path of a life of faith: According to his eager expectation and hope, he would in no way be ashamed, and he could be completely bold to have Christ “exalted” in his body, whether by life or by death (Philippians 1:20). This is truly remarkable. We need not despair over the losses of life but should instead break free from outward physical decay, allowing ourselves to be renewed inwardly day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16).

        Dear brothers and sisters, thank God for blessing us with the law of the Spirit that gives life, setting us free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). Remember: We fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen, for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18). We must adopt an eternal perspective to unravel doubts arising from “life’s adversities and physical suffering.” Let us pray together, asking God for abundant patience, helping us to obey His commands, persistently trust and follow Jesus, and await the day when earthly struggles cease and the fruits of our labors follow us (Revelation 14:12-13). Let us declare by faith: “Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus!” The path ahead is already laid out. We need only to affirm that we will rejoice in the LORD and be joyful in God our Savior, whose presence will lead us to tread on the heights (Habakkuk 3:17-19). With courage and hope, let us face life’s challenges and continue to write life stories that “shine brightly and proclaim God’s grace.”