Sans titre

A reflection from a Christian who also happens to be a psychology student.

Sometimes my psychology knowledge reminds me that my emotions and feelings matter that they are real, valid, and worth paying attention to. Yet there are moments when I unintentionally use my faith against myself. I catch myself thinking, "If Jesus already paid it all, why do I still feel lonely? Why do I still struggle? Shouldn't I be stronger than this?" In those moments, I end up condemning myself instead of extending the same grace I so easily believe God gives to others.

Some days I have solutions to my problems. Other days, I don't. But does that stop my faith? Not at all.

Studying the human mind, behavior, and emotions while following Christ doesn't mean you suddenly have everything figured out. If anything, it reminds you how much there is still to learn about people, about yourself, and about how psychological understanding and biblical truth don't have to compete. Psychological understanding can complement biblical truth, with faith always taking the lead.

I'd be lying if I said it's been easy. But if I had to choose over and over again, I would still choose to do life with Jesus rather than without Him.

Living alone and becoming independent at a young age has taught me so much. It's made me stronger, more responsible, and more resilient. But it's also shown me just how exhausting life can be sometimes.

There are moments when I miss the comfort of home so deeply. I used to look forward to going back, always seeing home as my safe place,

a place where I could rest. As I've grown older, I've had to face the possibility that I may never truly live there again the way I once imagined. And if I'm honest, that realization still scares me.

I can laugh with friends, enjoy the present, and seem completely okay. But when I'm alone, or when a new day begins, reality quietly catches up with me. The thoughts return. The emotions return.

Yet even there, God has been teaching me that faith is not the absence of difficult emotions. Faith is choosing to keep trusting Him in the middle of them. Jesus never asked us to pretend we were okay. He invited the weary to come to Him.

Maybe that's what I'm learning in this season: having emotions doesn't mean I have less faith. It simply means I'm human. And every time I choose to bring those emotions to Jesus instead of running from Him, my faith grows a little deeper.

I'd still choose Jesus. Every single time.

Thank You, Jesus. 🥹🤍

Psalm 34:18

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

The theory behind the Stanford Prison Experiment is interesting and could have provided valuable insights into human behavior if studied ethically. However, learning what Dr. Philip Zimbardo did deeply disturbed me. Causing real psychological harm to participants, manipulating the study, and showing little remorse makes the experiment unethical and unprofessional. I cannot imagine what it must have felt like to be subjected to that environment, and it unsettled me to hear how participants were treated.

As a Rwandan🇷🇼, the documentary made me reflect on the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. This tragedy, which claimed over one million lives, was not simply a matter of power and powerlessness. It was the result of decades of political manipulation, colonial legacy, extremist propaganda, and systematic planning. Reducing it to a laboratory analogy like the Stanford Prison Experiment oversimplifies the historical, social, and political factors that caused such immense suffering.

I don’t remember what changed me during my childhood, but I clearly remember something that happened not long ago that changed me completely in every way.

I was home having fun, enjoying the weather, the environment, the culture, and spending time with friends and family. It was the best time of my life; I truly felt at home. Then, almost overnight, my life took a sudden turn. I found myself on my way to the Philippines, something I had never planned or even imagined.

Coming to study and live in Cebu has changed me and shaped me into a completely new person. I wasn’t prepared to be fully independent at such a young age. Back home, I was comfortable because I had people guiding me and helping me make better decisions. Here, I had to stand on my own, think quickly, and make sure my choices were wise.

As difficult as it was and even though living in a foreign country without relatives or people from my own background felt lonely and overwhelming, I had no choice but to grow up quickly and learn how to take care of myself. Those challenges pushed me out of my comfort zone, shaped my character, and taught me resilience. Looking back, I am grateful for that season because it helped me become stronger, wiser, and more independent.

I’m thankful that I found friends, a church, and a loving community. I’m also grateful for the opportunity to make an impact in the Cebuano community by joining the missions team and sharing the Good News of Jesus with those who never had the chance to hear it.