My Testimonies and Learnings

Testimony #17

Kahapon sobrang aga kong nagising, around 3am in the morning kasi umulan at tumutulo kasi ang bubong namin sa kwarto so lumipat ako ng higaan sa underground at 'di na ako nakatulog  ulit. I decided to have my devotion, kahit pag-recall lang ng natutunan ko sa bible study nung araw na 'yon. Fast forward after kong magdevotion nagsaing na ako tapos nagtimbla ng tableya at binigay sa lola ko. Dahil sobrang aga ko nagising inantok din ako around 8am. Umalis na sila mama kaya kaming tatlo ng kapatid at lola ko ang nasa bahay. Natulog muna ako pero pagising-gising ako kasi tumatawag 'yong lola ko.

Usually 'di ba kapag nabitin ka sa tulog madali ka lang matrigger ng external force? Parang ang bilis mong mairita o kaya magalit. Kaya ako i really prayed and depended on God na sana hindi ako magiging mainitin ang ulo. 

Fast forward ulit 'di na ako nakatulog hanggang hapong 'yon. Iba talaga kapag wala sa kondisyon 'yong katawan mo kasi pati mentally and emotionally fragile ka. Sabi ko kay Lord, "gusto ko lang matulog, Lord." Ngayon kasi tinitrain ko 'yong sarili ko na less reklamo and more worship na even amidst the struggle. Pero ayon 'di pa rin ako nakatulog. Kahit anong ginawa ko hindi ako nakatulog. sooo, I decided manood ng CCF sunday service. Praise God kasi anytime mo mapapanood 'yong sunday services ng CCF sa youtube.

And then I chose Pastor Peter's preaching, "Be Broken, Be blessed." (Panoorin niyo to kasi worth it!)

While watching nakaramdam na ako ng antok. Parang sarap matulog kasi 'yon din ang hinihintay ko-- ang makatulog. Kaso di pa rin ako makatulog kasi palaging tumatawag lola namin. But even so, I praise God for His kindness and grace. Even now while writing this, inaantok ako kasi galing kaming kumain. Hirap ng di tayo sanay magluto 'no? But praise God tinulungan naman ako ng youtube and most of all, ni God. ^_^

I realized you can never run away from trials in life. Whether we like it or not, nandyan talaga yan. But the things I learned from trials are 

(1) it strengthens your faith. You don't rely on your own ability but God's capabilities. You learn how to partnership with God; 

(2) it empowers you as a person. Problems change your heart and character. You learn from your experiences by the wisdom given by God; 

(3) it humbles the proud. Tendency kasi kapag wala tayong problema ang taas ng tingin natin sa sarili natin. Tendency we only rely on our own "power". Tendency we think we don't need anyone;

(4) it reveals the attributes of God. In our daily struggles, kapag naka-align tayo kay God, doon natin Siya mas makikilala. Kapag wala tayong pera, malalaman natin na si God ay provider. Kapag  nagkasala tayo, makikilala natin na forgiving si God and gracious. Kapag inaapi tayo, makikilala natin na defender and just si God.

Life will never easy. The Lord Jesus already told us that "in this world you will have tribulation, but take heart! I have overcome the world!" What an assurance from God that even if this world is distorted and we people are imperfect, may Diyos naman tayong perpekto at mahal na mahal tayo.

So, let's have a new perspective about problems of life. Make them as our opportunity of knowing God more and experiencing Him more in our lives. Blessed are those who trust in the Lord no matter how painful life is. As Apostle James said, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." James 1:2-3 

And Apostle Peter also said in his letter, "In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1 Peter 1:6-7

To God be all the glory!