"Batam Missions Trip (22th-26th March)"

Romans 12:2, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. They you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
The missions trip to Batam was definitely a refreshing one. We stayed over at a kelong of the missionaries that have been taking care of our church members for the last 2 years, whenever they went over for a missions trip. This month was my turn to go. Indeed, this missions trip has transformed me “by the renewing of my mind”. I pray that God will help me to resist conforming to this world.
During the missions trip, I realized how nice it was to be away from the busy life of Singapore, and the horror of being in the bowling circle. Bowling has changed me into someone that I don’t want to be, because of the influences of the people in it.


When I was supporting my sister in the B’division championships, and when I was competing in the National Age Group, I was surprised how the bowling circle has changed. With the sports school and with the new members that entered the Singapore Bowling Federation. I had seen so many crappy attitudes and arrogance; it just spurred me to quit my favorite sport of bowling. And on top of that, I lost some people’s respect not because I changed into someone with a disgusting and horrid attitude, but because I am no longer in the national team and no longer competing as actively as in the past.


During a sharing session in church in January, I shared that most of my friends in the bowling circle have influenced me in a bad way, and that I don’t know if I have to stop hanging out with them in order to stop myself from becoming worse and drifting away from God’s ways.
During the missions trip, it was affirmed to me through Hebrews 12:1-2, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
It was an affirmation to me that I should indeed, stay away from anything that hinders me and entangles me in sin. If I have already been entangled, I should untangle myself from them and keep away from them. My pastor has confirmed with me that that’s what I should do. But he did mention that it will not be easy, not as easy as avoiding watching soccer up till very late at night because this involves my friends.
I pray that I may stop my friends from their bad habits, and influencing me through their bad habits.
I find it stupid when my friends do something offensive and tell me not to do it because they don’t want to corrupt my innocent mind. Did it not ever occur to them that by watching or hearing them do it, I will still be corrupted?
We are told to “love the sinner but hate the sin”.
However, if there’s really no choice, I would choose to be alone rather than do something to be accepted by others, just as Jeremiah was when he was warning the people of their ways and the consequences of their sins against God. At least after he had warned them for 40 years and being a loner for 40 years, God spared his life and eliminated rest of the entire city.