Had a conversation with a High school friend earlier via Facebook. We went through the usual "kumustahan". It was then that she opened up and told me about the pain she is going through now. Apparently, she is having a very serious marital woe. Her husband sends her and her kids (two) out of their family home. And as it happens, he did so because of a third party.
So, the good-for-nothing guy turned his back on his wife and his own flesh and blood because of another girl. No wonder, my friend was beside herself. (This I understand.) As it turned out, she had made Facebook her own battleground and had posted a series of hate-statuses against the alleged third party.(This I don't agree.)
She asked for my advise and basically, what I had given her can be summed up in 5 words.
PRAY
A lot of things that happens to us, we don't understand. Why? because our wisdom is but limited. The antidote then is to seek God's wisdom. My friend has many "whys". Most of it I can't answer. But I know My God can. So I told her, to fall on her knees and ask God herself. Would He answer? Of course He would. He does. He never fails to do.You just need to Ask.
Jesus loves conversations. He is the best listener and friend one can ask. So whenever you are troubled. Whenever you feel like no one on earth would be able to understand you. Don't fear. Because Someone high above has our back. He is the 24/7 friend we all want to have. Seek him zealously!
TRUST
God's plans are unknown to us. Usually we just guess it, and pray that our plans are in accordance to His. But God's purposes are, as I beg to disagree with most of you, NOT unfathomable. They are actually all logical. This is when we see things as He sees things. So again you have to pray for a "seeing" eyes.
Logical in what way? Let me give u an example. When God throws in our way trials, what do you think is His purpose in doing so? Is it to hurt us? Knock us down? Punish us, perhaps? Of course not! Our God is a loving Father. His intention is not to make us suffer. Have you forgotten how He sent His beloved Son Jesus to suffer for us? See, that's how much He loves YOU.
So, what then is the purpose why you are going through all this pain? Simple, He wants you to remember His love.
Most of the time, we humans, because of the busy life we live. The good job we have. The riches we amass. The new car, watch, house etc. we acquire.We Forget Him. We take credit for the Graces He gives. Like children, we go back to the I-as-the-center-of -the-universe attitude. In short, we displeases God. Thus, He sends us trials. To test us. To make us remember that everything is His. That we belong to Him.
He pokes us so we would remember that He is the Loving Father we can always run back to. All we need to do is to trust Him with all our heart, by offering our doubts, our fears, our troubles to Him, knowing deep well, that He has the best intention at heart.
ENDURE
Everybody can relate, that when the heat is on and life seems to offer no way out. We ask God to take us out of that situation. And when He does not immediately do so, like spoiled children, we start to entertain ill-feelings against Him. We start to feel UNLOVED. We start the series of whys starting from why me???
Some would even go as far as dare God. Dare Him. Push Him. As if it would anger Him more. Would it really make Him angry? I dare say, No. God made us, so He knows our frailties. Do your own father hit you as soon as you cry because he did not allow you to watch TV during weekdays? I bet not. Instead, he would just give his irritant child a patient look and explain to him his rules. Just so with Our Heavenly Father.
God insists on our endurance. And there is no way to learn endurance than simply to endure. Why? Why do we have to endure? Because He wants us to discover His provision. Because He wants us to realize, that we have Him..and that in His Time, there will be deliverance.
God will make everything right, in His Time and in His Way. Just lean on him and learn of His ways.
SUBMIT
People are control-freaks. We always want to have control in everything. We easily get irritated when we can't seem to handle the situation. In frustration, we look for ways to gain back control. We forgot a very elementary fact. Our lives are not ours to control.
Certain things happen because it has to happen. What might take place may not be in our own liking. It might not even be in line with our plans or our visions. But this is certain, everything is God's will. So whether your hurt, your sick or you lost everything. Just Obey. Surrender to His plan. Transfer ownership of your burden to Him and simply Submit. Remember: Our hour of greatest need is His hour of greatest supply.
REJOICE
I had the world on my shoulders. How can I rejoice?
Haven't you heard me say LET GO? Let God take the rein. Do not be anxious and be weighed down by your worries. When you fear the things that seems to steal your life away. When you say that you can't seem to know how to get by after losing something you think was worth your life. You are actually putting those things/persons in a higher pedestal than God who is the giver of life. Don't you see the irony of it? That's what would anger God.
God promised us that His burden is light. Because Jesus is the burden-bearer. But we cannot experience His strength while we bear our burdens on our own strengths. We have to choose to let go of our burdens and let Jesus bear them. This is God's plan. This is how He wills it to happen.
So let go of your will and let your heart and mind have peace. Let God's will be done.
-mcm
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