HEALING FICTION
If you love books or have been hanging around book stores lately, most likely you would have noticed the proliferation of healing fiction like:
- Before the Coffee Gets Cold
- The Cat Who Saved Books
- The Miracles of the Namiya General Store
- Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop
- Sweet Bean Paste
- Midnight Library
- The Professor and the Housekeeper
- The Midnight Diner
- The Kingyo Used Book Store
Healing fiction are feel-good, moralistic, and sentimental cozy stories that help us realize what is important in life. (Clue: it's not money, power, or fame.) If we missed it the first time, we can learn and be a better person as we heal from the bruises sustained from making the wrong choices. The characters realize this when visiting a place we never expect to change our lives. There, varied people meet an almost sage-like character (not always human) to lead them to an epiphany. Do you know that in real life, there is such a place and Person who promises something better than healing through fiction? He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 4:16) who wants to make us a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). Fiction is not real. Although its truth can have real-life applications, it is only for this earthly life whereas to be made a new creation has benefits in the hereafter.
Unlike in HF, we don't get a Take 2 in real life. There's no rewind but we don't need a redo when we are made a new creation as God gives us a new spirit and a new heart to look at the world differently. We now see things from His perspective, through His eyes. We now have a new and sole directive for our existence---to bring glory to His Name.
Of course, this does not make us perfect. One only needs to look at yours truly to know that. But living in Truth chases away despair and the sense of hopelessness because we know all things work together for good to those who love Him (Rom. 8:28). Everything will turn out not necessarily good for me, but good for the glory of Him who is good.
If this is not making sense to you, it only means you have not been born again. You have not asked for forgiveness of your sins and accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Anyone who has has received a new heart and new spirit that bring understanding. This is why people who have been born again can praise God even when going through difficulties because they know there is a heavenly reason. A reason that we may not understand or will ever do on this side of heaven, but knowing that God is good, we know (not just feel) that we are being crushed and smelt to come out shining like gold in the end. Not our will, but His be done.
As mentioned, in HF, there's a place where people go to for revelation. There is such a thing in real life---it's a Bible-believing church where you will find imperfect people like me living in the strength of the Holy Spirit to bring glory to the Greatest Healer of all. Come visit (and eventually join) one. There is always one near you.
If you love books or have been hanging around book stores lately, most likely you would have noticed the proliferation of healing fiction like:
- Before the Coffee Gets Cold
- The Cat Who Saved Books
- The Miracles of the Namiya General Store
- Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop
- Sweet Bean Paste
- Midnight Library
- The Professor and the Housekeeper
- The Midnight Diner
- The Kingyo Used Book Store
Healing fiction are feel-good, moralistic, and sentimental cozy stories that help us realize what is important in life. (Clue: it's not money, power, or fame.) If we missed it the first time, we can learn and be a better person as we heal from the bruises sustained from making the wrong choices. The characters realize this when visiting a place we never expect to change our lives. There, varied people meet an almost sage-like character (not always human) to lead them to an epiphany. Do you know that in real life, there is such a place and Person who promises something better than healing through fiction? He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 4:16) who wants to make us a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). Fiction is not real. Although its truth can have real-life applications, it is only for this earthly life whereas to be made a new creation has benefits in the hereafter.
Unlike in HF, we don't get a Take 2 in real life. There's no rewind but we don't need a redo when we are made a new creation as God gives us a new spirit and a new heart to look at the world differently. We now see things from His perspective, through His eyes. We now have a new and sole directive for our existence---to bring glory to His Name.
Of course, this does not make us perfect. One only needs to look at yours truly to know that. But living in Truth chases away despair and the sense of hopelessness because we know all things work together for good to those who love Him (Rom. 8:28). Everything will turn out not necessarily good for me, but good for the glory of Him who is good.
If this is not making sense to you, it only means you have not been born again. You have not asked for forgiveness of your sins and accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Anyone who has has received a new heart and new spirit that bring understanding. This is why people who have been born again can praise God even when going through difficulties because they know there is a heavenly reason. A reason that we may not understand or will ever do on this side of heaven, but knowing that God is good, we know (not just feel) that we are being crushed and smelt to come out shining like gold in the end. Not our will, but His be done.
As mentioned, in HF, there's a place where people go to for revelation. There is such a thing in real life---it's a Bible-believing church where you will find imperfect people like me living in the strength of the Holy Spirit to bring glory to the Greatest Healer of all. Come visit (and eventually join) one. There is always one near you.