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.
It
is so easy for a person to accept a consequence out of his misdeeds for he is
guilty; but how can he accept a consequence out of upright and decent living?
This
is one of the most celebrated questions of many people worldwide. Yet is one of
the hardest mystery of life where people sometimes are being misled by their
limited human perspective.
Some
people answer this question with good and bad karma belief. Others have a
thought that suffering is a normal portion of our daily routine on earth while
the rest still continue to ask God why such suffering strikes them with no fair
reason because they believe they are good people.
Well,
the story of Job about his long-term suffering might not totally answer the
question but it shows us the right and wrong ideas and feelings of people about
suffering. Also, it paves the way for everyone on how we should certainly react
when such circumstances caught us by surprise.
Job
is a wise, rich, honorable man living decently and faithfully in the name of
God. But then one day, God took his ten children and all his wealth plus he
bore a painful skin disease. He shove his head off in mourning and yet still
he praised Him, and for a fraction of second never had he dared ask God about
his excruciating suffering. Three of his friends came by to see him and gave
interpretations about his suffering. They told him that God is punishing him
for his sins. Job insisted that it is not true and he became so discouraged but
he still believed that God cares about him, though he didn’t know the answer
why he must suffer so.
Well,
in the end, God gave his answer about everything that happened to him. He told
him that people don’t know how great God is. His three friends surely lack
understanding about God. Finally, God
restored his health and wealth twice as rich as he had been before plus another
ten children. Job realized that no obstacle should hinder his trust in Him.
This
is a reminder that God is in control of our life. No matter what happens to us,
we must not stumble nor shake our trust and faith in Him. We must believe that
everything will be alright because God knows more about His plan for us. God
may allow Satan to intervene us but, we must understand that we are born of God,
who is indestructible and powerful. If God is stronger than Satan, then we must
bear that inheritance in our DNA. It’s in our blood, all over our body. We must
prove that we are sons and daughters of God by neither being strong in the
midst of every neither trial nor suffering.
Nothing
should separate us from His love!
Live
by faith, not by what we see (2
Cor. 5:7) for God is bigger and
far greater more than what we can ever imagine. All we have to do is trust Him
and ask for his everlasting strength, wisdom and comfort so we may not be
shaken in whatever we go through for God loves and cares for us more than what
we think, more than what we feel, and more than everything else. Thus His love
is beyond our human understanding.
Whenever I recall my high school and college days, I couldn’t
help but giggle in my room. I am talking
about the days of endless quizzes, exams and other tests. Some were really quiet and serious whiles others were quiet and cheating to their seatmates.Those were the quietest
days I had in my teenage life and I just hated them because I had no choice but
to burn the midnight oil each day before the test.
After I graduated from the university, I thought that would
be the end of the tests in life. I was wrong.
The tests now are even more complicated and challenging more
than I had ever imagined.
We all have our own tests from Him who made and brought us
here on this world.
Just like our beloved teachers back in elementary through
tertiary, they were so quiet during the exams. God is also quiet in our tests in
life but it doesn’t mean that He is far from us nor forsakes us. We need to
remind ourselves that whenever we are in trials or tribulations, God is just
putting exams on us to build and to develop our faith and character towards Him
and towards other people.
So why worry with these tests?
Rather, let us be glad and welcome them in our lives for they
give us opportunities to grow in all aspects especially our spiritual growth.
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance. (Romans 5:3)
Remember that we don’t belong to this world, but to Him so
let’s be prepared and be still on these tests until the day He comes to deliver
us to the place where we really belong.
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has
stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised
to those who love him.(James 1:2)
