From spiritual dryness to spiritual success!

For the recent weeks, I was fetching for ideas on how to beat myself from spiritual dryness until God chose Mark to deliver the message last Sunday.

I have been truly struggling for a couple of months and I thought that it was only me who feels it until Psalm 13 was revealed before my eyes.

Here how it goes.

Psalm 13

How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?

How long will you hide your face from me?

How long must I wrestle with my thoughts

And day after day have sorrow in my heart?

How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Look on me and answer, LORD my God.

Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,

And my enemy will say, “I have overcome hime,”

And my foes will rejoice when I fall.

But I trust in your unfailing love;

My heart rejoices in your salvation.

I will sing the LORD’s praise,

for he has been good to me.

David is a very good example to those who are experiencing spiritual setback just like me. He is honest to the Lord in all his feelings. He expressed what he felt in plain language with great pain and anguish. In the end, his trust in him was unfailing and exemplifying in spite of all the misery he was facing. What a faithful servant he has shown for a faithful God. He kept holding on and he saw the fruit of his trust and faith to God.

Sometimes we think that God is away from us. Sometimes we think that he has forsaken us. Sometimes we don’t feel his power nor a shadow of his presence. But the real thing is, He is never gone. He is always there, watching us over on how we are going to react, make decisions and carry out his plans and promises.

For all these days, I thought that I had the worst case in terms of experiencing spiritual struggle. The Lord has been good to me. Now, I am finally over it. I have surpassed the test that I  thought I never would.

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When things seem like impossible for us to do...

  A couple of weeks ago, I had my third graders to make up and write their own story based from the single picture shown on the LCD projector.

As what I had expected, twenty two of them out of twenty five whined up because they said that it's a complicated task for them to make and there's nothing but only a single picture. All that I heard from that moment is the phrase, "It's so hard, it's impossible to do it." Others even said like, "It will take forever to finish this story!".

What would you expect? Writing is such a laborious task for most of them especially it's their first time to write a story.

Well, the good thing is I am ten miles ahead of them.  I was already expecting these feedback so I called their attention.

Right away, I made my own story based from the given picture on the spot. I used their names and a few places they know.

I kept on talking and telling the story, putting each strand from one to another until I came up with a beautiful ending. To their amazement, they didn't notice that I stood and spoke for about five minutes.

Then, one of them sitting at the back said,

 "Oh! That's nice! I also have my own funny story!" That's easy!"

Then, the child sitting in front said, "Ahhh! I know what my story is going to look like!"
After that, another child and the rest  kept on muttering, "I have got a good idea!".

Everyone was able to finish their own stories.When I got back to my desk, I was giggling with the stories they came up. And of course, I felt very satisfied with their work.

The following day came and I have picked the best stories in each class.
All of them could not believe that they could write stories of their own just like their favorite authors.
There were several of them who said, "I want to make another story and I will do my best this time."

Five minutes before the bell rang, I told them that they should not put their mouth first in doing a given task not only from a teacher, but also from other people especially their parents.

We must learn from the story of Gideon bringing only three hundred soldiers with him and their pitchers of water, torches and trumpets against more than a hundred thousand  trained and experienced Midianites and Amalekites.

Also, don't forget the Israelites who brought down the great walls of Jericho by means of marching around with and blowing their trumpets.

These were lesser persons and they don't have much money and authority but they were able to succeed because of only one thing, and that is faith. They did whine up like what we always do, but I think that's the way God wants to show us up that we must always put our trust and faith in him first, and not our tongues.

When things seem like impossible for us to do, be not afraid nor discouraged, because His ways are not our ways. He does things in mysterious ways. He does great things more than what we can imagine.


Have you ever felt that God was calling you to do a task for Him and yet you didn't listen because you believe you don't have the ability and resources to do such?

Well, be glad and you are blessed!

Sunrise of Hope

Recently, the sunrise was shining above differently. The brightness is not glaring, you could see its perfect outline and the color is orange. Whenever I go to work, it attracts me with its unique yet beautiful appearance as if it wants me to chase it as I go to work.

Also, recently, I was struggling. Struggling with the school system I was not used to. Struggling with disappointments and frustrations I face every day. Struggling with the traditional delusions and wrong perspectives that have spoiled people for years.

And so, I am confused as to which game should I play.

The very unique and yet awesome filled sunrise seems telling me to not give and lose hope. It wants me to chase it so that I won’t sink into the vast sea of despair.

And most recently, I felt better because I know that God’s mercies are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:23)  He is the sunrise of hope. Whenever the sun rises above me, it’s like a reminder for me not to lose hope and never give up on any struggles and trials that come along my way for God upholds the ways of the righteous in His hands.(Psalm 37:24)

Same goes to all of you who are struggling. Let us cling to the everlasting hope and mercies that God has placed upon every sunrise.

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The Blogger’s Guilt and Confession

It’s been several days I haven’t open my blog.

Neither a single page, nor a single word was typed as well.

There is emptiness in my mind and soul that I couldn’t explain. The flame that was furious has turned out to be cold and dying.

I really felt bad recently, really bad and I am so guilty until now. My spiritual activity has become weak and so my body too. My enthusiasm in writing has left me with idleness.

It was like a trap that caught me up so sudden in the dark forest. 

Oh Lord, Here I am broken

Torn into pieces and shaken

Thy heart pierced with sudden coldness

Bent myself from offering praises

Oh Lord, Why I don’t feel you?

Nor a shadow of your greatness?

What am I supposed to do?

Where thyself is sinking in eternal sadness

Now, I am here still struggling and trying to win back myself from the intimate relationship with Thee. 

You’re the author of my life and I trust in you. I believe in your mercy and greatness. May you forgive me for the sins I have done to my brothers and sisters and mostly to you Oh Lord Almighty.

Oh Lord, Here I am. I surrender everything to you.

Give me strength. Give me hope.

Take me and use me.

Speak to my heart and so I can speak you praises.

With all I am, I consume me .

May the words of my mouth and the action of my body praise and worship you again just like the old times.

In this, I speak to the Almighty and Merciful Savior now and forever. In your name, Jesus.

Amen.

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When discouragement strikes

Discouragement!

My life in the recent days was filled with such very unpleasant word. I felt so ill each day I go to work till the night before I close my eyes. It is horrible. Yup, I understand that no matter how I shake my head from disappointment, there’s no way I could escape the horrible thing.

Every morning and night, before getting up on the bed, before laying my head on the pillow, my heart is throbbing in pain and anguish. I cry out to the Lord to comfort my weary mind, body and soul. My strength in mind and body is getting weak, my joy is shrinking into vast sadness.

The pain still persists now though I am still hoping that soon it will fade away to joy and peace of mind. My faith in Him is still on hold even though I am panting with blood sweat on my hands and body.

When discouragement strikes, I just recall how God has placed Paul into his unthinkable ministry to many different people. He rejoiced in the midst of rejection, punishment and even death. He rejoiced in the midst of all the discouragements from the apostles, friends, and all the people around him. Same goes with Job who underwent such huge wave of pain and suffering. He was struck down but not destroyed. 

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit  you may abound in hope. 

                                                                                                          (Rom. 15:13)

Amen.

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