Photo by jenny downing

Shared by Melody Chen

What have you been learning lately?

On a personal level, one big lesson I’ve been learning is about humility in relationships because of the dating relationship I’m in. You go to school to become a therapist and you think you become an expert on relationships – conflict resolution, how to navigate difficult situations, but when it comes to real life and when you’re faced with another person in everyday situations, it seems like all the knowledge you learned goes out the window.  You see how fallen human nature is, and no matter how good your intentions are – in doing what is right and not being selfish — eventually with time, selfishness wins and takes over the relationship. In those times, I see our relationship becomes much more difficult.  We fight more, we’re angry with each other, we’re dissatisfied, we complain and we want to change the other person instead of enjoying how God has created the other person.

How do you have hope amidst the brokenness?

Through this relationship, I’ve learned why we need to pray daily instead of once in a while.  Sometimes the greatest challenge is yourself, which will be there everyday.  You need insight and strength to know that, not just at a head level but at a heart and experiential level, that God really is the only one who can satisfy us.  So to rely on anyone else, no matter how great that person might be, would indeed not be good enough. Coping with that serves as a daily reminder to spend some quiet time reflecting on the truth that God is enough, and what it means that God can take on all of our hopes and expectations and not be crushed by that burden, as anyone else would be.

Melody Chen is a therapist and trainer of therapists in a counseling agency in Beijing.  Born in Taiwan, she lived in California since the age of 12 before moving to China recently.  She has a BA in biology and dance from UCI, worked for a few years as a professional dancer and event planner, and went to Kyrgystan with InterVarsity for a year before getting degrees in counseling and theology at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Interviewed by Joy Wong