Trust the Process of Building

This is the view that I always see whenever I pass by A. Bonifacio Avenue on my way home. It is an on-going construction of a skyway connecting the South Luzon Expressway with the North Luzon Expressway from Buendia to Balintawak.

Everyday, I see progress in this project (which is a good thing)!

At first, it brought chaos — traffic was congested, pollution was everywhere, and there was so much inconvenience, especially for commuters like me.

Tonight, I passed by this certain part of the construction and it made me contemplate about life. Isn’t life like this sometimes?

We are all work in progress. We all go through series of building, demolition, and reconstructing.

In the first phase of the process, we feel discomfort.

We feel pain.

There is anxiety.

We start asking ourselves, “Am I gonna finish this? Am I going to go through it?”

I remember what Mr. Anthony Pangilinan said during his class at the recently concluded Kerygma Conference. He said:

“Getting into trial is not by choice but getting through it well is”.

His statement made me say, “Oo nga no. May choice nga naman tayo to do it well… to finish strong”.

Going back to the construction site, I was stunned to see that more posts are being completed as days pass by. A couple of months ago,  broken debris were all over and these posts were just ugly pieces of metals and cement.

Looking at these posts, which will serve as foundations of the skyway, made me ponder about how God uses events to transform us…. to build our character… to strengthen our faith.

Yes, we get overwhelmed with these trials. We get drained by our struggles. We feel like giving up His strength and giving in to the weakness of the world.

But you know what, I believe that these challenges make us who God wants us to be: a stronger and better version of ourselves.

God is building us. He is reconstructing us everyday.

Let us let Christ to be our foundation; His Word as our weapon.

Years from now, the skyway will be completed. It will be beautiful. It will bless many people. Traffic will be well. It will bring convenience.

We will be beautiful and helpful after every trial that comes our way. All we need to do is to trust the process of building.

There is beauty in fallen debris. There is majesty in ugly metals and dusty cement.

Christ is going to complete us and make us beautiful like Him.

“O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony, And your foundations I will lay in sapphires”. – Isaiah 54:11

 

Digging the Word: Suffering versus His Glory

“I believe that the present suffering is nothing compared to the coming glory that is going to be revealed to us.” – ‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:18‬ 

That is one of my favorite verses in the bible.

I find it so reassuring and I can always feel the goodness of the Lord just by reading these words, His words.

Life is not perfect. It will only be perfect once we’re in heaven already…when we’re face to face with Daddy God.

Challenges are many, but His grace is more

This year has been tough. I experienced a lot of challenges that really tested my faith and my self-worth.

But God is good because it is in these challenges that I realized for the nth time that He is still in control… that He is God and I just need to be still.

Years from now, we will realize that these challenges are actually stepping stones to achieve a stronger and wiser state of ourselves. 

His word is a promise

No matter how hard these challenges are, God never fails to reassure me that He will reveal His glory in His right time.

My friends, I do not know what you are going through. Maybe you are feeling down because you lost your job. Maybe you have an illness that make you fear for your life, or a debt that bothers you at night. Perhaps, you have been fighting a bad habit that’s plaquing your life, or maybe there is envy, anger or longing in your heart.

Behold, God will lift us up. He will refresh us and reach out to us to make us feel that this battle we have been battling for the longest time is actually His!

God is generous, merciful, and able. Our faith in God, along with our actions, will definitely take us far — somewhere glorious and wonderful. 

Let us declare that there is an end to all these sufferings… that challenges are temporary. 

But there is one thing that is consistent — the love of God for us, His children.

Prayer:

Father, I believe that You are preparing something glorious for me. I an eager to witness how You will turn my situation around, how You will shower me with your grace. Thank You, Lord, for reminding me again that You are always there for me. In Jesus’ name, I surrender everything to you. Amen. 

YOUR PAST DOES NOT DEFINE YOUR TOTAL SELF

ISA 29:13 NIV

The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.”

This is the verse that is featured on the Bible app today. When I’ve read it, it really strucked me real hard. Why? Because of the time, I am like that.
I come near Him, praising him, telling God that I love Him, and promising that I am going to obey His words. But when temptations and fears come and surround me like they’re a flock of wolves, I usually find myself giving in, thus allowing myself to be devoured. It is in these circumstancs that I feel like I am a total hypocrite.

I am a sinner and I always recognize it before the Lord.

My God is a God who forgives, is slow to anger and loving. Psalm 145:8

I know that it must not end thefe. I must not limit myself from learning from my mistakes. So one of the things that I want to do to myself this new year is to be TRUE to the God who has been SO faithful to me.

Prayer:
Father, thank you for your graces, your kindnes and loving. Thank You for Jesus for it is through him that we have been saved. May my life be lived like Jesus. Be with me Lord and help me not to falter when the world starts to cave in.

Good night.

FAITH LIKE A MUSTARD SEED

The apostles asked Jesus why they could not cast the demon out of those bodies that needed healing.

Jesus answered,

Because of your unbelief. I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there”, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

However this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. (Matthew 17:19-21)

In this part of the scripture, the Lord Jesus himself is telling us that we must have great faith in God. He wants us to completely trust the almighty God who makes all things possible, especially for those who believe.

Yes. It is true that we live in a world full of doubts and fears. And as a result, we often find ourselves being covered by worries and fears as well. But we have a better option to overcome these anxieties and burdens.

Jesus is just a prayer away. Our Lord, the Son of the Living God, is always ready to help us in everything. His grace and mercy will always be with us. His abundance does not end. His blessings are everywhere. His mercy endures forever. (Psalm 118)

Be anxious for nothing, but in EVERYTHING by prayer and supplication, let your requests be made known to God;

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Prayer:

Father, thank You for Your word. Thank You for the gift of the Holy Scriptures. Thank You for the gift of life, Lord.

Lord Jesus, through You, I glorify Your Father who has sent You down to save us all. Thank You for the gift of salvation Jesus. Thank You for Your presence. I know that You are in every area of my life.

Jesus, I am here to worship You and to give You praise. Thank You Jesus for my beautiful life. There may be troubles and problems yet I know that You are with me. We will overcome all the adversities Lord and together we will be victorious! Thank You Jesus.

As with my sins, please forgive me. I am not worthy to receive You but only say the Word and my soul shall be healed. Thank You Lord.

Please bless me Lord, so I can bless others. Help me Lord to be generous just as You are to me.

Thank You Father for everything. Search my heart Lord and purify everything in it. Through Your Son Jesus, I ask that all our prayers get answered if they are part of Your dreams for us.

Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts. Your plans are better than mine. These we lift up to You, in Jesus’ holy Name. Amen.

REJECTED STONE TURNED INTO A CORNERSTONE

Acts 4:11-12

This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

I can’t thank God enough for all the goodness that He has shown me. Jesus is the Son of the living God and I believe that it is through Him that we can get to the Father.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He died for the salvation of all people. Thank You Jesus.

I am writing this to give honor and praise to what Jesus has done for me.

Jesus, your most sacred of God, thank You for getting into my life. Thank You for the hope that I always find in Your Word. Thank You for everything.