It’s already been nearly six months since I came to God’s Vision Church. The precious relationships and ministries I’ve encountered within this cherished community of faith are the greatest blessings I’ve received this year. A few days ago, the participants of the 2025 Southwest Evangelism Trip gathered to prepare together. As twelve individuals with different backgrounds came together with one heart and one mind to praise the Lord, cry out in prayer, and share the Word, my heart was overwhelmed with unspeakable joy and gratitude.
The same is true every Saturday when we evangelize at Leicester Square. Each time we proclaim the gospel and lift our voices in praise, I cannot fully express how much comfort and encouragement I receive from the presence of my fellow coworkers standing beside me. Laughing, crying, and sharing life with them feels like heaven on earth. The strength I feel, the indescribable happiness and joy, the deep sense of belonging I experience when we become one —all of these are precious gifts and grace from God.
Because of this, I actually become more cautious in the midst of this joy. The greater the joy and awe I feel in fellowship with people of faith, the more carefully I examine my heart. I worry that I might become so caught up in the joy of these relationships and the community that I lose sight of God, who is the one who allowed all of this in the first place. I wonder if, in being so overjoyed by this togetherness, I might lose the earnestness in my prayers to seek and pursue God. I fear that I might become complacent, relying more on the sense of belonging, security, comfort, and encouragement I get from people rather than on God Himself.
That’s why I ask myself sharp questions, especially when I’m joyful and things are going well. “Even if there were no evangelism team preparing for the trip, and even if I were standing alone in Leicester Square, would I still be able to carry on with the same joy and gratitude that comes from my faith in God alone, and the belief that He alone is enough?” I give deep thanks to God for entrusting me with these precious encounters and ministries. But at the same time, I’m always careful not to let my heart be captivated by the relationships themselves more than by God.
This is why I strive to stay spiritually awake, even in the fullness of grace. I believe being spiritually awake means keeping my eyes fixed on God—the source of all things—even while enjoying beautiful relationships and rich fellowship. It means not forgetting the God who orchestrates every meeting and enables us to serve together with one heart. The greater the joy of togetherness, the more I want to devote myself to prayer—not to become complacent in the abundance, but to seek God even more earnestly and ask for His will.
This doesn’t mean that fellowship with people is not important. In fact, it’s the opposite. I believe that in order to truly enjoy the precious gifts of grace that God has allowed, we must focus not on the gifts themselves but on the Giver. The comfort and encouragement we receive from others are valuable, but they can never replace our longing for God.
My desire to stay awake even in the fullness of grace reminds me of the true source of all the joy and gratitude I currently enjoy. It is the lifeline of grace that guards me and keeps that grace from running dry. Within God’s Vision Church, in the precious relationships God has allowed, and in the abundant heavenly banquet I share with them, today once again I resolve to set my eyes more deeply on God.
