The Lessons from Research for Life

February 28, 2018Philip Wijaya Leave a comment

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings. (Proverbs 25:2)

The above verse tells us that God is glorious because He is “mysterious”, whereas a king will become glorious when he is able to disclose a mystery. Being a researcher is everyone’s duty, which is a great privilege, because the way of a researcher is the way of a king.

In this short article, I would like to share a few lessons from my research life and daily routines over the past few months. (It is a perspective of an engineering student).

Research is a long-time process that demands patience, endurance, and persistence.

Researchers must realize that “nothing great comes easy”. One may not expect an instant good result without any struggles. Oftentimes, we must deal with tedious works, revisit the (same) problems, and exercise our problem-solving skills again and again. As I described in the previous article, research essentially means a “repetitive search”. It is true not only for people who work in science or engineering field, but also for those who study other disciplines, such as music, religions, politics, sports, arts, etc. In this sense, we could say that basically everyone is a researcher.

A simple case is that when you are planning to travel, you must first do a “research” about the locations, transportation, accommodations, foods, etc. In doing so, we must allocate time, energy, and money; we should be ready for a “long suffering” if we want to get the best results and make the most of our journey. To survive this long and rough journey of research, we need to understand what is our motive in the first place. I believe that the basic motive of doing research is curiosity, which will eventually determine our true passion.

In addition, we must however realize that it’s impossible to research everything; just like we can never resolve every problem in life. We might have an unlimited potential, but our time, energy, and priority are all limited. That’s why, we need to keep in mind that even after graduating and holding an academic degree, we may not stop researching. (Now I feel that it’s probably not just a long-time process; it’s a life-long process!)

Research will reveal our personalities and how we deal with problems in life.

We can do research because problems exist, hence the quality of our research will be determined by the extent of problems that we can resolve. The more problems we overcome, the greater impact we make, and thus the higher quality of research we’ll end up with. In a real life, we also have to deal with such seem-to-be-never-ending problems everyday. The way we deal with problems in life will pretty much reflect the way we do research, and vice versa. Our hidden strengths and weaknesses are often revealed by problems, both in life and research. Our characters or personalities are going to be tested by and developed through the problems.

A successful research requires good communication skills and creativity. Think about of how we deliver our ideas, how we collaborate with others, how we organize our thoughts to approach a series of problems, how we cope with our own perfectionism, how we treat our “superior” or “inferior” ones, how we prioritize contribution over recognition, how we can become of a true impact beyond a good impression, and so on…

Research will tell us whether we are an optimist, a pessimist, or a rationalist. The optimists are usually very ambitious toward publication; they believe their works deserve attention and can get published as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the pessimists are normally a type of people who don’t really enjoy “spotlights”; they may like publication, but they don’t actually like publicity (and sometimes get confused by two of them: publication vs. publicity), therefore they are not very eager to build a reputation based on the number of publications. In between these two, the rationalists are those who demand compelling evidences in order to believe any claim or theory; they are usually more concerned with the depth of understanding than the quantity of papers, however they could be pessimistic if neither solid facts nor strong reasoning is provided. We see now that research may reveal whether we are “believers” or “doubters”.

I observe that research may also help us identify ourselves: whether we are a “broad learner” or a “deep learner”; it might tell our preferences when dealing with problems, whether to approach a broad or a deep learning. After all, one good thing is that research is a humbling experience that will encourage us to willingly learn from others and neither rely on our own understanding nor think that we are the smartest person in the world.

Research is preceded by vision and leads to an innovation.

The normal stage of PhD life is to spend most of the first year for an intensive reading (literature review). In this stage, we should learn from “history” of what is already known and what is still missing or remains unknown (i.e. knowledge gaps) in a particular field that we investigate. It is the time when we brainstorm ideas and develop a critical thinking. We are expected to have a good sense to criticize one’s works or publications, to tell whether or not a publication really has a great quality. In short, we should have an ability to examine whether or not any claim or theory is true and thus we are able to distinguish the truth from any misleading information. By the end of this stage, we are expected to have a “big vision” in our own research. Again, this is true not only for research, but also for life, in which we should know what to do as well as why and how we do something. Don’t be upset if your supervisors ask you the same question again and again, “What’s your goal?”

Here is the good news: a great research will lead to an innovation. After we develop our critical thinking and visions, we have a chance to formulate our own originality and novelty. It is now possible for us to be a pioneer, the one who open up a new way and make a breakthrough or ground-breaking research in the particular field of interest. We have seen that the rapid development of technologies, say in electronic devices (like smartphones or computers), is always driven by innovation, developed through research, and initiated by vision. In other words, without critical thinking and curiosity there would be no vision; without vision there would be no research; without research there would be no innovation; without innovation there would be no advancement or progress. It is now true what the Bible says:

Where there is no vision, the people perish. (Proverbs 29:18)

Interestingly, to have a vision, oftentimes we should be able to see the unseen. It is our faith that will determine the “size” of our vision. As I heard someone says, “The eyes of our head give us sight, but the eyes of our heart give us vision“, it is actually important for us to develop faith, not only logic or human reasoning, in doing research and dealing with problems in life. We are to use not only our head, but also our heart.

Putting all together, I believe that we should not have an “anti-criticism” attitude in our minds. A good governance should embrace critics if it desires to progress. Otherwise, the nation will suffer due to its corrupted government (which can’t tolerate any critics and refuse to change or innovate itself). As a final remark: a nation will be blessed if the people are passionate in research.

Vancouver, February 28, 2018

The Lessons from Research for Life

Understanding Chemical Engineering for Life

January 31, 2018Philip Wijaya Leave a comment

Hi there, welcome back to Pearls of Mind site. Time flies and it’s been five years for me now since I first started this blog in January, 2013. You might have noticed so far that many of my writings often discuss about personal, spiritual, and political issues. I realize that not all people can relate well to what I had written. Some people might feel interested, but some others might have also disregarded my stories or perspective. I am totally fine with that! 🙂 I would keep on writing and sharing, hoping that at least a little of inspiration would come to you after visiting this site.

Anyway, this year I am going to write more stories and thoughts from my research and work, the field I am currently working on. Hopefully, there are positive values or useful takeaway that can be extracted from here. Alright… in my first blog of the year, I would like to share a little bit of my experience and insight from studying Chemical Engineering, especially for those of you who might be interested to know a little more about a subject of which people often asked me a question, “Why do you learn Chemical Engineering? Are you gonna make a bomb?” 😀

In the following imaginary interview, you might probably get some general ideas of what Chemical Engineering is about.

How would you define Chemical Engineering?

Chemical Engineering is a study of chemical processes that convert raw materials into useful and higher value products by applying the knowledge of physics, chemistry, and mathematics for investigating material and energy transfer in each unit operation (i.e. processing equipment).

What will you learn more specifically in Chemical Engineering?

Some fundamental concepts include, but not limited to thermodynamics, reaction kinetics, mass transport, and heat transfer. In thermodynamics, we’ll learn about relation between internal energy, heat, and work for a number of molecules at different temperatures and pressures in a system, including the spontaneity of reaction. In reaction kinetics, we’ll study the speed of reaction; how fast the reactant changes into products, which could be affected by temperature, pressure, and energy to activate the reaction. The mass transport studies the movement of molecules participating in a process or reaction; how fast the molecules move is driven by the differences in concentration and/or external energy. The heat transfer studies the flow of energy (in the form of heat), either naturally from high to low temperature region or vice versa with the help of external forces. Material and energy balances is the unique subject only learned in Chemical Engineering (you’ll not learn it in other disciplines).

In addition, we’ll also learn some advanced theories and applications, such as momentum transfer, fluid mechanics, engineering mathematics, computation and simulation, catalysis, reactor design, plant design and the economic evaluation. In short, Chemical Engineering students will learn how to be a designer of chemical processes.

How well does Chemical Engineering relate to people’s life?

Nearly all materials that we use everyday are derived from chemical processes. Clothes, drinking bottles, food packaging, glassware, electronic devices, and all the components of your house are manufactured through chemical reactions. The knowledge of Chemical Engineering also plays a vital role in energy industries. All transportation means, from automobiles, ships, to planes, are driven by fuels, which are produced via complex chemical processes. Even not too far, in human’s body itself also undergoes a variety of chemical reactions every day. As long as we can breathe the air, oxidation process occurs in the cells of our bodies. It is clear now that Chemical Engineering is actually not far away from everyday life.

What is the main role of chemical engineers in the real world?

There are actually diverse job opportunities for chemical engineers. Some people may argue that ideally a chemical engineer should work at processing plant, such as petroleum, cement, textile, or paper industry. We know that most of such industries have also impact on the economic development and political aspect of a country. Moreover, chemical engineers can also contribute to the innovation of technologies through a rigorous research and development. More importantly, chemical engineers play an important role in designing process that can transform underutilized materials into valuable products in a clean and sustainable manner. That’s why, a good chemical engineer should be concerned with both ecofriendliness and cost-effectiveness of a process.

If you could extract the insight from Chemical Engineering lessons, what would that be?

There are two keywords that have taught me a very important life lesson: “process” and “balance.”

First, the process we learn in Chemical Engineering, as already mentioned earlier, is actually about transforming less valuable materials into more valuable materials. This process typically consists of three steps: pretreatment, reaction, and separation/purification. In the pretreatment, raw materials will be selected and pretreated in a physical process, such as heating, cooling, or size reduction, in order to minimize “burdens” in the subsequent steps. In the reaction, materials will be exposed to high temperature and/or high pressure environment; they will absorb or release heat, known as endothermic or exothermic process, in which the bonds between molecules are broken or formed. In the purification step, the products resulting from the reaction will be isolated or separated from the other undesired compounds, such as impurities, unconverted reactants or by-products. Both steps require time and it is hard to imagine that raw materials can be changed into pure products instantaneously. Note that a pure chemical product is reasonably expensive since it was formed through a long, hard, and complex process. Fortunately, there is a substance that can speed up the reaction, called catalyst, which can “magically” reduce the amount of energy required to activate the reaction.

Second, the balance is very important in all the process. This concept is based on the fundamental laws of material and energy conservation. In an ideal process, the amount of input materials should be equivalent to that of output materials. The same is true for energy. All this means that there should be neither accumulation nor losses of material or energy in the process; a good process should not corrupt.

So, what is the life lesson? What can you learn from that?

Life is like the “process”. We used to be like the raw materials; in our old life, we might often feel less valuable and it seemed impossible to be a good person with great impact. However, through a series of process, that is often painful, unpleasant, or inconvenient, we have been growing to become a better person. We might think our circumstances and environment often “heat up” and “pressurize” us so much, however we have been actually transformed into a valuable product after being “purified” from all the impurities in our hearts and minds, such as hatred, envy, anger, and other negative emotions. This is not an instant “process” and often demands our patience, endurance, and persistence. Our characters are shaped along the way; there are some “bonds” we need to make while some others we need to break. Ultimately, when we turn into a “pure product”, our values are so high that people would give respect and honor to us. I believe that prayer and faith can be the good “catalyst” for our life process. (Hopefully, the already good reaction is not reversible) 😀

Not less importantly, the “balance” is what we always need in the “process” of life. All the blessings and good things in our life are not supposed to accumulate for our own. Our money and talents are to be shared with others, especially those who are in need. We come to this world without carrying anything and we’ll one day leave this world without carrying anything. Knowing this insight, we need to keep every aspect in our life in balance if we want to go through every life process as ideal as possible. For instance, whenever we feel that we had overworked, we can keep the balance by taking a break with some fun or relaxing activities. There is a case when the process is not in balance, for example due to an excessive amount of heat (overheating) that would potentially fail the process. This condition might result in a poor product that is less useful and even rejectable. If you are happy, don’t be so happy that you ignore the other person’s struggles. If you are rich, don’t be too rich that you neglect the poor. If you are religious, don’t be too religious that you become judgmental to others. If you are smart, don’t be too smart that you underestimate the lowly ones. Studying Chemical Engineering is truly a life-transforming experience to me.

I got you!

See you in the next posts.

ChemEng in Life

Please be advised that you can also read the similar contents of this blog for Indonesian versions in the following links:

Menemukan Makna Hidup dalam Teknik Kimia (1)
Menemukan Makna Hidup dalam Teknik Kimia (2)

Vancouver, January 31, 2018

The Attributes of Jesus in the Bible: A Reflection on Christmas

December 25, 2017Philip Wijaya Leave a comment

Year by year, on the month of December, we may often hear a question, “What is Christmas all about?” We may also be pondering the real meaning of Christmas, is it more than just a holiday season and time of happiness with family and our loved ones? What does Christmas actually mean to you?

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump declared that Jesus is the reason for the season. The birth of Jesus, over two thousands years ago, and the story of his incredible life has forever changed the course of human history. Things you may want to know about Jesus has been written in the Bible, the world’s best-selling book of all time.

The uniqueness of Jesus is attributed to his birth (from a virgin woman), his life (with miraculous signs and heavenly authorities), his ministry (to love God wholeheartedly and people unconditionally), his death (to overcome sins and become a perfect, flawless offering to God), his resurrection (to overcome the grave, showing his authority over life and death), his ascension (to prepare eternal home for us, showing his authority in heaven and on earth), and his second coming (to judge the living and the dead and to establish God’s endless kingdom). By this, Christians believe that Jesus is capable of saving people from eternal death, the condition of being separated from God forever.

Now, what does the Bible say about Jesus that makes him so special? There are many names, titles, and characters of Jesus, mentioned either by Jesus himself or by other people in the Bible. The author herein lists some of the biblical attributes of Jesus, which can be enough to prove his matchless nature, so that the readers may be convinced that Jesus is truly incomparable and his name is above all names.

The Word of God

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1, KJV)
He (Jesus) wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. (Revelation 19:13, NLT)

The universe is created by God through the word. If Jesus is the Word of God, then everything is created through Jesus. Mario Joseph once asked, “Is the word creator or creation?” If the word is creator, then Jesus, as the Word of God, is the Creator. However, if the word is creation, how did God create the word? Let me put it this way: of all the creatures, human is endowed with the ability to communicate through words. People make a living through words, by writing, speaking, listening, and reading. Simply to say, we all can’t live without words! Is it a coincidence that the Bible says in the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God? Why does the Bible correlate the Word with Jesus? If Jesus is the Word of God, then we must acknowledge that he is the source of life!

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6, ESV)

The above verse is widely quoted during Christmas. It is the prophecy of Isaiah, written about seven centuries before the time of Jesus, which has been fulfilled in Jesus, who is a descendant of King David, and whose kingdom is everlasting. Let us now take a look at each of the title of Jesus here.

First, a counselor means “a person trained to give guidance on personal, social, or psychological problems.” If Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor, then he must be an expert to give us wisdom and guidance on any problems we may have. He is able to do that because he has experienced the most terrible suffering ever: the crucifixion; that’s why he totally understands our struggles and pains and he will never despise anyone who come to him. Knowing this truth, we may approach God with a confidence in the name of Jesus.

Second, who said that Jesus is not God? Clearly, in this verse alone, we can see the words “child”, “born”, “son”, and “God” exist together referring to Jesus. If Jesus is the Mighty God, then he must be able to empty himself and become a human. No doubt about that, because Jesus is the Omnipotent God. On the other hand, if Jesus is not God, then there has never been a story of God coming down to earth to lovingly reach out and communicate with his people. We may then think that God is “an indifferent creator” who lives comfortably at his throne in heaven and does not really care about us and what is going on in the world. There had never been a meaningful interaction between God and people or heaven and earth if Jesus were not God.

Third, one of the truth about God is revealed through Jesus, the Everlasting Father. What a privilege to be the children of God that we may call him “Father!” We know that being a parent (in this case, father) is a permanent role we may have in life. One can never say, “He is my ex-father.” Once you become a father, you are a lifetime father. A father is supposed to be the head of family, who is responsible for the welfare of all the members. In the father, children can find joy, love, peace, security, wisdom, and vision. What a personal and intimate relationship we have with God as our Father, the source of everything we need. And even more, what a joy to know that such relationship will last forever!

Fourth, the reconciliation between God and people is made possible through the work of Jesus on the cross. Jesus has become “the bridge”, creating peace between man and his Creator. As we see the world today, horizontal conflicts are everywhere; peace is what people, family, and nations are longing for. In this Christmas, we are reminded that even though the world has been damaged by sin, the coming of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, has given us the ultimate hope for a better life. As the children of God, we are also to be peacemakers wherever He has placed us (Matthew 5:9).

The Lamb of God

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29, NLT)

Jesus has come to earth with a clear mission: to take away the sin of the world. In the ancient times, as indicated by the Old Testament (see the Book of Leviticus), the people of Israel had to offer a various type of offerings to express devotion or thanksgiving to God and gain his approval. The annual ritual of the sin offering to make atonement or purification for all the people foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, who was slain for our redemption from sin. Jesus has died once for all and we have been sanctified through the offering of his body. As a result, it is no longer required for those who believe in Jesus to present any sacrificial offerings for the forgiveness of their sins.

The Good Shepherd

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11, NLT)

In Psalm 23, King David declares the Lord is his shepherd, he lacks nothing. In the above verse, Jesus declares himself as the Good Shepherd, who sacrifices his life for the sheep. He has not only talked about the selfless character of a good shepherd, but also proved it with his own life. Clearly, Jesus “practices what he preaches”, he “walks the talk.” This is a very critical lesson, especially for leaders. The most important value a leader must have is integrity; to act in a way that agrees with the things said. In agreement with the title of Jesus as the Lamb God, Jesus has accomplished his mission to take away our sins by laying down his life so that he may take it back again (John 10:17-18).

The Light of the World

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12, NIV)

When we sinned against God, we chose to follow our own ways. We trusted in our own plans rather than His. We were walking in the darkness and the eyes of our hearts were blinded by the worldly things, such as selfish ambition, anxiety, envy, pride, and so on. Deep down in our hearts, we long for the light that would enable us to walk in the right path. Christmas brings a good news that the Light of the World has come. Jesus reveals who God really is to us because he is the radiance of God’s glory and the complete representation or exact imprint of God’s nature (Hebrews 1:3).

Human can’t live without light. In nature, we know that sun is the greatest source of light and energy to all creatures. Plants, for example, use sunlight to make nutrients for their growth through a process known as photosynthesis. On rainy and cold days, we miss sun so badly. With the modern technologies, people can use the energy of sunlight to produce electricity through a device known as solar cell. If you study about Physics, you may have learned that light is both particle and wave, the concept of which is known as wave-particle duality. Historically, this concept has emerged as the foundation of quantum mechanics and led to the discovery of electromagnetic waves, such as X-ray, ultraviolet light, infrared light, microwave, etc. Most of the electronic devices that we presently use, like computer, smartphone, and many analytical instruments, have worked on the basis of this principle. Now, can human live without all these devices? Did you realize that? Light is not only about sun! So, is it coincidence that Jesus describes himself in such an unimaginable way that addresses even the needs of people from every generation?

The Source of Living Water

Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14, ESV)

Can human live without water? In fact, up to 60% of human body is water. Every day we must consume water to survive. Again, is it coincidence that Jesus talked about the spring of water to satisfy our thirst? He not only touches our physical desires, but also our emotional and even spiritual needs. What are we thirsty for these days? Love, acknowledgment, knowledge, money, or else? Jesus promises the spring of water, which refers to the work of Holy Spirit, for whoever drinks it. The first step we must take to drink the water is to open our mouth: be intentional in opening our hearts to him. Once Jesus is in us, he will satisfy the deepest longing of our hearts and we will never be the same person. We will see things differently and our focus will change, from the self-centered minds to the God-centered desires. No wonder Paul, after his conversion, said, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20) and he focused on the unseen (eternal) things that would bring glory to God, rather than the seen (temporal) things that soon would be gone (2 Corinthians 4:18).

The Bread of Life

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:35, NIV)

After the word, the light, the water, which represent the basic human’s needs, now Jesus declares himself as the Bread of Life. He is concerned with the human’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. He best knows that we all need a freedom to express and communicate through words, to walk this life without fears by light, and to be continually satisfied by water and bread (food). In particular, bread represents the source of energy to run our activities. Again, here we clearly see that Jesus is the source of life, who provides our daily bread (Matthew 6:11). We couldn’t live one day without him. Every day is the opportunity to grow in Jesus as we do what he commands. We find the ultimate joy when we please him. There is no way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey.

Messiah, the Christ

The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus told her, “I am the Messiah!” (John 4:25-26, NLT)

Jesus is the long awaited savior of Israel and the world. The term of Messiah (Hebrew) refers to a future Jewish king who will be descended from the line of King David, to be the king of God’s kingdom. According to the orthodox views of Jews, the Messiah will gather the Jews back into the land of Israel. The term of Christ (Greek), meaning “the anointed one,” refers to the savior and redeemer who would bring salvation to the Jewish and mankind. Christians believe the prophecies about the Messiah in the Old Testament have been fulfilled in Jesus because he is the descendant of King David and has come to the world to save those who believe in him.

Immanuel, God with us

Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23, NKJV)

Before the birth of Jesus, people might never think God would like to dwell among his people. Before the death of Jesus, he promised to send the Holy Spirit, who would be with his people forever (John 14:15-17). This promise was later fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost, about ten days after Jesus ascended to heaven. Before his ascension, Jesus declared that he would always be with his disciples, even until the end of time (Matthew 28:20). Christians believe in the trinity: God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, as three Persons of one Being. Putting them all together, we can see the consistency of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit’s intention to dwell with his people forever. Moreover, Paul also confirmed that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in us (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Knowing this truth, we can be sure of two things. First, the concept of trinity is undeniable. Second, Jesus is alive and he is Immanuel, God with us. It is truly a great honor to have God of the universe dwells in our hearts! Thus, we can say, “O come, o come Immanuel!”

The Alpha and the Omega

“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.” (Revelation 1:8, NLT)

We are born to this world without knowing exactly where we come from (origin), why we are here (meaning), how we should live (purpose), and where we are going (destiny). But yet again, on this Christmas, we are so thankful that Jesus Christ is the one who was, who is, and who is to come. Jesus has the authority over life and death, in heaven and on earth, and also from the beginning to the end. He is the Alpha and the Omega. In him, we may find the origin, meaning, purpose, and destiny of our life. Don’t ask your ancestors about your origin; nor your teachers about your meaning; nor your friends about your purpose; nor a psychic about your destiny! We may never fully grasp them all, but we should believe that having an intimate relationship with Jesus, the Alpha and the Omega, is enough because He is the author and the perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Remarks:

There are actually names and titles of Jesus Christ in the Bible not mentioned here (such as the Son of God, the Son of Man, the Lion of Judah, the Living Stone, the Resurrection and the Life, and many more). The author therefore would suggest the other article that may supplement this writing. Nevertheless, the author hopes that, by the grace of God, through this writing, we all may grow deeper in our understanding and love with Jesus Christ and continually experience his joy, peace, and love throughout the years. Merry Christmas!

Vancouver, December 25, 2017

The Attributes of Jesus. (Photo of Jesus is adapted from here and the background photo is adapted from here; designed by the author)

The Power of Problem

November 30, 2017Philip Wijaya Leave a comment

A wise man says “The way we see problem is a problem.” As we see our world today, people struggle everywhere – no one is spared from problem. We all face, at least, a problem every day. Different people have different problems (with the different kind and intensity), be it hardships, diseases, the lost of loved ones, and so on. The question is probably not “What problem do you have today?” but rather “How do you deal with your problem today?” It is apparent that the way we response to problem is also a problem!

Knowing that we have problem each day, how to deal with it? Leaving the problem unresolved often lead us to feelings of guilt, inferiority, and frustration. On the other hand, we might fear the problem would “kill us softly” if we insisted on resolving it our own ways. Problem often has a negative image and it is normal that people would long for a problem-free life. However, is there really in the world such a life without problem? If we know that problem is inevitable, don’t we feel challenged to overcome (or take advantage of) it? Are we often discouraged or encouraged by a problem?

In fact, some problems persist and at times the best we can do is just to accept it and keep moving forward. As long as we don’t lose hope, we may see some opportunities that disguised as problems. Now the question is “Can we benefit from problem?” Here are some interesting facts that you may not always realize about the good sides of problem, which I would refer to herein as The Power of Problem:

1. Problem is like an exercise that gets the best out of you

Just like your body muscles are strengthen through exercises, your “heart and mind muscles” are also developed through problems. Students are required to pass the tests, which comprise a series of problems, in order to advance to the next level. Moreover, it is interesting that humans tend to grow, not in the midst of pleasures and comforts, but rather of pains and problems. Whenever you are facing problem, don’t lose heart and remember that your character is more important than your comfort.

In military, a man is called powerful after he had conquered enemies, mainly the most difficult ones. It is only until we resolve a difficult problem that we experience a real progress. We know the more problems we fix, the more progress we make. When was the last time you felt a deep satisfaction and fulfillment after solving a problem? It is probable that problems exist (and persist) that we may become an expert in problem-solving and be victorious over our “enemies” every day.

2. Problem is the beginning of purpose

Do you agree that because problem exists, human can have a purpose? Just simply put it this way, for instance:

Because of health problem, doctors and hospitals exist (with the purpose of healing). There is no need for doctors and hospitals if everyone is healthy (has no health problem)
Because of the lack of knowledge, teachers and schools exist (with the purpose of educating). There is no need for teachers and schools if everyone is smart (has no lack of knowledge)
Because of the limited access to information, internet exists (with the purpose of providing the accessible information). There is no need for internet if everyone can have a limited access to information, and so on…

Problems happened that we may have a purpose: to help each other. Do you agree that all the technologies (the man-made things) exist because of a wide variety of problems? Believe it or not, even your job now does exist because of problem! (and you are there also for fixing one)

3. Problem is a reminder that life is not yours (and the earth is not your home too)

One of the characteristics of life on earth is temporal or perishable. When you feel good or bad, you know the feelings won’t last. How many times do we get tired of all the highs and lows, ups and downs, lost and found? Life is dynamic and that’s why it is important to enjoy every season and make the most of every moment. Problems remind us that life is not ours. What we call “possessions” or “treasures” do not actually belong to us. It is good to remember not to be possessive and act as if we are to control everything.

In my life, I have witnessed a person who had struggles with relationship, health, and financial problems all at once. He was divorced, suffering from a lung cancer, and had no house under his name before his passing over ten years ago. What can be concluded from his miserable life? To me, there are at least two important lessons that, first, this world is not our home and, second, a far better and greater place must have been awaiting us on the other side. The constant existence of problems prove that the world we live in now has been permanently damaged and therefore requires a complete restoration, which can only be done by the Perfect One.

4. Problem reveals the human’s greatest need for a Savior

There are times when the problems were so intense that we felt helpless. Deep down in our hearts, we acknowledged that no human powers were able to save us. Imagine you were trying to run for help from a tsunami. This kind of situation “forced” us to seek out a “divine intervention” (as the ultimate resort) which is able to deliver us. We, at last, are willing to humble ourselves and confess our weaknesses and limitations. It is often at this point that most people finally recognize their needs for salvation and thus decide to believe in a supernatural being, whom they may acknowledge as God, the Almighty, Savior, etc.

Everyone needs mercy and love. Knowing that life is fragile, we can never live by our own strength, we need each other, but ultimately we need a Savior. The power of the Almighty greatly surpasses the power of any problems you have. In my life, I have testified that the most relieving and rewarding ways to live is by putting our trust and hopes in the One who is always in control and takes care of everything (Romans 8:28). You’ve probably heard someone says, “When God allows you to face a big problem, He trusts you.” God is faithful and will not allow any problems to overwhelm you beyond your capacity or ability to endure (1 Corinthians 10:13). Our ultimate strength comes from the Omnipotent, who is able to turn our problems into blessings (Philippians 4:13). What a great privilege to walk this life in a personal and intimate relationship with the Savior, who has overcome the most fearing problem on earth, i.e. death, so that we may have joy and peace until the end of time (John 16:33, Romans 8:37-39)

First written on November 30, 2017 and finalized by December 09, 2017 in Vancouver

Thanksgiving Day: A Moment to Count Our Blessings

October 15, 2017Philip Wijaya Leave a comment

Every year Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving Day on the second Monday of October. This has been a tradition since 1957 and is linked to the harvest festivals of the European. Last year, I got a chance to eat turkeys and pumpkin pies, however this year I missed both; I had beef steak and apple pies, instead. Not bad 🙂

The event on Thanksgiving Day has passed, but its spirit should always be with us throughout the years. Believe that thankfulness is an efficacious medicine to greediness as we live in an age of constant dissatisfaction, where human tend to take anything for granted. Remember, no matter what happens to you, always rejoice and be thankful.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV)

In this moment, I want to challenge you to write down, as many as possible, the things you are thankful for, no matter big or small, either over the past few days, weeks, months, years, or even the course of your life. You might be surprised that the list can go on and on, beyond what you could ever think of.

Alright, without further ado, let me go first with my thanksgiving list over the past year here. (This list is arranged randomly and the order does not necessarily reflect the level of importance)

Thank God for healthy body and mind of mine and my loved ones. I’m grateful for the five senses that still function well.
Thank God for my study and research work in which I could earn knowledge, experience, and also… stipend and scholarships 😀
Thank God for all people who’ve been kindly supporting me. I’m thankful for my parents, professors, pastors, and all friends in school and church.
Thank God for giving me the opportunity to learn cooking for my daily meals. Also, I’m thankful for all the foods and drinks, either the free or the purchased ones, for my breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Thank God for all the physical or material blessings, such as clothes to wear and electronic devices to use everyday.
Thank God for nice weather and beautiful views in Vancouver.
Thank God for protecting my journey on the roads everyday. I’m thankful that since I don’t yet have a car, no expenses for gasoline or parking fees are required. Public transits are, thankfully, quite convenient here.
Thank God for giving me a place to stay with such a warm-hearted family. I’m thankful for enough rest and proper sleep every night.
Thank God for bringing me to the places I’ve never been before, both inside and outside Canada. In the end of last year, especially, I got a chance to visit my uncle’s family in Los Angeles.
Thank God for my marriage! I’m so much thankful for a beautiful wife, bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. I can never thank our parents enough for all their love and supports, especially with respect to the engagement and wedding preparation.
Thank God for the honeymoon time. We had a summer vacation for 12 days in France and Italy. I’m grateful for the successful arrangements, from the visa application to the itinerary schedule.
Thank God for the long distance relationship with my girlfriend-turned-out-to-be-wife. During this season, we have been learning about the values of faith, trust, endurance, patience, and many other important lessons.
Thank God for the recent approval for my wife’s visa application to Canada, which means that our LDR will come to an end soon.
Thank God for the new place ready prior to my wife’s coming.
Thank God for the information technology and social media which have been very helpful in facilitating communication with my loved ones. I’m grateful for all the smart and intelligent people who have worked “behind the scenes”.
Thank God for giving me new ideas that I can continuously share my stories through this blog. I’m so grateful for the gift of writing.
Thank God for showing me the books I need to read and all the valuable articles from internet which have been very useful source of my inspiration.
Thank God for enabling me, under the supervision of my professors, to publish the fourth scientific paper in the reputable journal, in addition to our previous three articles. I’m thankful for all the citations.
Thank God for people who’ve been praying for me and my family, in addition to those who’ve been inspiring me through their life experiences.
Thank God for my siblings as well as spiritual brothers and sisters, who’ve been a great source of my encouragement.
Thank God for people who dislike me because of my personality, views, beliefs, or even fortunes. I’m thankful that because of them I’ve been more motivated to be a better person everyday.
Thank God for the inspiring public figures, from whom I can learn so many great lessons. I’m grateful for the modesty of President Joko Widodo, the audacity of the former Governor of Jakarta Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, the life testimonies of Nabeel Qureshi, and the brilliance of David Wood.
Thank God for the wisdom to my parents-in-law, who have given me valuable advice necessary for my personal and spiritual growth.
Thank God for the faith and labors of my parents, which I believe, would be the most precious legacy for us in the days to come.
Thank God for the patience of my wife. Love is patient, and yes she loves me! Indescribable gratitude for the love of my life.
Thank God for all the troubles and difficult circumstances I’ve faced, which have been turned into the opportunities for developing my characters.
Thank God for forgiving my sins through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Thank God for the assurance of hope, peace, and joy in the midst of worldly tribulations.
Thank God for the gracious gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ our Savior.
Thank God for this 30 years of life and for making me realize that life is not about me. I’m very much thankful for Jesus Christ and his revelation. Let everything that has a “NAME” realize that life is “Not About ME”. Life will one day be history and yes, it’s HIS story, all about the ONE whose name is above every name.

Alright guys, that’s it!

The above list can go further but there’ll be no enough space to write down everything here. I guess yours will be the same too. Thus, you may also want to make a list based on the numbers of years you’ve been living for.

OK, now is your turn to count your blessings!

Nabeel Qureshi: A Hero of Faith in the Present Age

October 6, 2017Philip Wijaya Leave a comment

In summer 2014, I was in Seoul working in a laboratory while doing my final project (thesis). My interest in apologetics, in addition to research interest in clean energy, has grown ever since, leading me to do another “research” about Christianity and Islam. During those times, I often spent times watching series of testimonies on YouTube. One of the most fascinating figures I found was Nabeel Qureshi, a former Muslim Christian apologist, who has now become the world’s most prominent figure with respect to the Christian versus Islamic worldview. Believe it or not? (Try to use the words “a former Muslim Christian apologist” in Google and you will be directed to Nabeel’s profile in Wikipedia on the first page)

Since he was diagnosed with stomach cancer on August 2016, I regularly watched his vlog on YouTube, wondering about the progress of his health. Hundreds, or perhaps thousands of people all over the world have been actively praying for him and his family since then (especially for his healing). However, the Lord seemingly has another plan. September 16, 2017 was the end of his life on earth yet the beginning of his life in the eternal and glorious home with the Lord Jesus, the true love of his soul.

I don’t know Nabeel personally, but his ministry has been a tremendous impact for me. I have read two of his books, Seeking Allah Finding Jesus and Answering Jihad, which, I believe, would be valuable resources for any truth seeker. As we live in the age of internet and information technology, we all know that finding the true and accurate information is easier now than it has ever been. For those of you who are interested in seeking the truth about God from the perspective of Christian in comparison to Islam, I would suggest you another great resources, which have been carefully worked by Nabeel’s best friend, David Wood.

Here, I would like to share with you, at least, but not limited to, three spiritual blessings I received from Nabeel’s life and ministry, together with the references from the Scripture.

1. Death is not the end of human existence

Some people might have been wondering about the reason of Nabeel’s death. There would certainly be a lot of speculation on this matter. To me, the most unsurprising one would be due to his conversion from his former faith, as if his death was a God’s punishment. (It is quite understandable that people tend to find the “cause-effect” relationship, trying to rationalize everything that matters. But, I believe that we can’t, and don’t have to, explain and have the answer for everything). To this type of reasoning, I would ask, “What if God actually loved Nabeel so much that He was willing to bring him back to Him forever in the heavenly home?”.

As long as our concern is merely about earthly life and the worldly pleasures, we might think that Nabeel’s short life was quite unfortunate. (Had he lived longer, he could taste more delicious food, visit more beautiful places, and do more enjoyable activities). However, I believe death is not the end of our existence and the ultimate joy is not meant for our temporary-and-fragile life here. If they were so, how pitiful are the morally good people who died at the early ages, innocent children or kids who were killed in a war or accident or natural disasters, people who were dead by injustice and crimes, etc. Should they all have died in vain and lived meaninglessly? How can we explain all these things?

What if death is just the beginning of our eternal life? What if the separation from our mortal body leads to the unification of our soul and spirit with the brand-new immortal body? What if the beauty of life and all the wonderful-yet-perishable things here on earth is just nothing compared to the eternally wonderful things the Lord has prepared for us on the other side? What if death means “rest in peace” while life means “restless in pain”? What if death is not a curse, but a blessing? What if death is good, not evil? If death is evil, why would a good Creator allow it to be the inevitable part in the life of all creatures? And if death is good, like Paul says in Philippians 1:21, why would you still have a fear of death? Indeed, death can be good or bad, depending on where (heaven or hell) and with whom (the loved ones or the enemies) you will spend the eternity. I believe, just as Nabeel does, the gift of everlasting life has been given to those who believe in, and therefore have been saved by, Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord. Because of his faith in Jesus, Nabeel fears neither death nor evil.

So, could it be the time to change our mindset and how we perceive the matters of life and death? Could it be the right moment to focus on what matters most, i.e. the unseen things with eternal values (such as faith, hope, and love) beyond the seen things (such as the worldly riches, fame, and fleshly pleasures) which are momentary?

And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!” (Revelation 14:13, NLT)

2. The sovereignty of God over all things

There are so many things we don’t know and many stories we can’t understand in life. Have you ever seen the wicked people outlived the good people? Have you been familiar with the corrupted leaders who are getting richer while the innocent people are living in poverty? Life often seems so frustrating and unfair that we might consider escaping the reality (read: suicide) as the better solution. Is there really a true measure of success while we live in this broken world? We are all clueless, without definite answers.

Had Nabeel lived longer, imagine how many memorable moments he could make with his wife (Michelle) and daughter (Ayah), how many more inspiring books he could write, and how much greater impact he could have. Again, God’s will is not like ours. Our spirit, soul, and body belong to Him, He gives and could take away anytime He wants. Now we can see why we should always leave a room for the God’s mystery in our theology. It is God’s privilege, in all His majesty and wonders, to conceal a matter (Proverbs 25:2).

At the end of the day, we can only trust that His plans are far better than ours and He is still good no matter what. By this way, our faith in Him will get stronger and we will always have hope in life. The just shall live by faith and surrendering our life to God is the most relieving feeling and the most rewarding moment we could ever experience. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Sovereign Lord; abide in Him all times, and find our total confidence in Christ alone.

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9, NLT)

3. Faithfulness of God’s servant, even to the point of death

Regardless of what our job title is, we all have one specific role in life: to serve. I believe that we are all servants towards others. I’ve shared about this in my previous post last year. Whether you are a custodian, a teacher, or even a president, you have the same responsibilities of doing a good service for others.

Now, have you seen any person willing to die for what he/she believes? I am asking to myself, “Are you willing to die for your Chemical Engineering knowledge?” and probably you could also ask yourselves, “Am I willing to die for what I am doing and I believe now?” Some people were born with such incredible gifts or talents to become, for example, the world-class singers, the world-renowned musicians, the world’s greatest football players, etc. You may be wondering if they are also willing to die for their passions. Have you found the truth (or the love of your life) that is worth dying for?

Here we can see the distinguished life of Nabeel. Just like Paul, he has considered everything else is worthless when compared with the surpassing worth of knowing Christ (Philippians 3:8). Nabeel has been willing to die for knowing Christ and proclaiming His truth despite the struggles with his dearly beloved parents, in addition to the challenges from people who had mocked him blatantly. He knew that life on earth is temporal and things are perishable. He is not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and what He has done for him. Heaven is a far better place where he can be forever with the Father in the everlasting peace, love, and joy. I wonder if the Lord has said to Nabeel, “Well done, good and faithful servant! Enter into the joy of your Master!”

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants. (Psalm 116:15, NIV)

In the following video you can see Nabeel’s statement of faith and hope in eternal life. Hope you will be tremendously blessed!

First draft written by September 18, 2017 and finalized by October 6, 2017 in Vancouver

A Brief Story from My Summer Vacation

September 10, 2017Philip Wijaya Leave a comment

Thank God I finally get a chance to write and share a story again after 2 months. From the mid of July until the end of August I had summer vacation outside Canada. Luckily, my supervisors allowed me to take vacation for 1.5 months as I had planned for marriage since October last year. Thank you Sirs!

Yes, I am a married man now 🙂 and I am blessed (not only lucky) to marry my other half, Sandra, on behalf of whom I am writing this now. By grace of the Almighty, we are no longer two but one!

I believe that marriage is God’s idea to unite two imperfect people, a man and a woman, to faithfully love one another for a lifetime with the love that God has already put into their hearts to bring out His beautiful plans and wonderful purposes in the world.

Undoubtedly, it was hard for us to prepare the wedding since I was being away from home and my loved ones in Indonesia. You may ask any married couples how complicated it is to prepare their weddings, even if they lived in the same places (country or city) on the days of preparation. To me, it was a bit more challenging, not only due to the long distance communication, but also because I had to divide my attention between the wedding preparation and my responsibilites to study and research. During those days, we never talked face-to-face in person, but through video calls we often discussed and fought about many things on the preparation. (Thanks to the technology) 🙂 Needless to say, it was draining our energy! 😀 But I loved to be in struggles with my loved ones! ❤

Big thanks to our parents who have faithfully supported us, not only materially but also emotionally and spiritually! I realize how much important it is the prayers from parents to their children. We would never be where we are today without the faith, hope, and love of God through our parents. Thankful words would never be enough to express!

It was my very first experience having such a tight schedule for vacation. There were 3 main events that we had: engagement, wedding, and honeymoon (in addition to a pre-wedding photography session). When I was still in Canada before the vacation, I was doubtful and did not expect all the plans would eventually work out.

Now, looking back to all we’ve been through, I am still amazed of how God has worked in such a miraculous ways to make everything good in the end, and even better than expected, despite our limited efforts. The engagement was done so well that two families could meet up and be the witnesses in the ‘semi-official’ day of our relationship. And July 30th was the day we were blessed in a holy matrimony and officially become a husband and wife.

Never came to our minds that we would have wedding parties in two different cities in Indonesia (Semarang and Bandung) which continued to the honeymoon in two different countries in Europe (France and Italy). One might probably ask how we could arrange the Schengen visa applications while we were still very busy with many stuffs for the wedding. My answer again would simply be: all is by the grace of our Father, Lord Jesus Christ, given through people (family and friends) who love and support us so much!

To be honest, until now, I still feel unworthy to receive all these blessings. Many times I was slow to make a decision and struggled with my unresolved weaknesses: lack of discipline, lack of focus, and too much worries. After all, I believe that we experience good things in life not because we are good enough, but because He is good! Not because of what we have done, but because of what He has done. Not because of who we are, but because of who He is! At the end of the day, our life stories are not about us. All is about Him, the Author of Life, who deserves all the glory, honor, and praise. It is not my story, it is His story…

If there is one thing about my last summer vacation that I am a bit regretful was that I didn’t have enough chances to meet some friends in Indonesia, especially my childhood friends, and hang out together with them for a cup of coffee (or two). Hope to see you guys soon in the near future, anywhere, anytime!

Lastly, here are some of the pictures from our last pre-wedding photoshoots. (The pictures from my engagement, wedding, and honeymoon can also be seen here)

PS HOP_0549 Porto HOP_1105 Porto HOP_1275 Porto HOP_1441 PS HOP_1569 1599