Photo by A. H. Benjamin and Tim Warnes

Isang daga ang naglalakad na pauwi after visiting a cousin. Sa kanyang paglalakad, nagmamadali siya at nahulog siya sa isang hukay at nawala na parang bula. Sabi niya: “bakit puro na lang kamalasan ang nararanasan ko!” Hindi niya alam na sa himpapawid ay may isang malaking ibon na handa siyang damputin ngunit sa bilis ng pagbulusok ng ibon, tumama ang ulo nito sa malaking bato. Kung hindi nahulog ang daga sa hukay, tiyak nakuha siya ng malaking ibon.

There are times we complain about life and saying: “why we are not like others who are successful or why our lives are always miserable…” Let me encourage you today that it could have been worse. Without the mercy of God, we could not be here anymore, alive and well; our lives could have been in a mess but we remain standing. It may not be the life we expect, but the book of Ecclesiastes nine verse 4 says: “There is hope only for the living. As they say, “It’s better to be a live dog than a dead lion!” By simply being alive, possibilities are endless. May bukas pa upang maganap ang bagay na iyong minimithi. Don’t write off yet the promises of God. He has never taken you this far in life just to leave you now. He has something better in store for you.

I purchased an Apple Macbook recently, and I received a box with the item and on top of that is a handbook full of instructions, a manual: the do’s and don’t’s of operating the Mac. On the upper part of the product, is a little Apple sign, the logo of the manufacturer. The word ‘manual’ comes from the word that means: ‘the manufacturer’s mind on paper.’ There are rules to follow to maximize the efficiency of the product. On the manual, it says: “do not operate yourself.” It means that if the product is not working, I must send it back to the manufacturer. They will collect, deliver, repair and return the item to me without any charge, its free.  If they cannot repair it, then an exchange of the same item shall be done. The Apple is doing this not because they know me, but because they want to protect their logo and their name. They know that if the product I purchased doesn’t work, their reputation is on the line and they will be into trouble. They protect their name.

In the same way, God created you to succeed in life. You cannot find a bird that does not fly nor a fish that does not swim. I believe that every one of us is created to be successful. But you have to read the Rules, the manual of life. The Bible is the Manufacturer’s mind on paper which tells you the rules of life. Do not operate life by yourself without God. Do not rely on your understanding. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and He will crown your effort with success. He wants you to succeed in life for His name’s sake, for His glory and honour. Not because of what you are, but because of who He is.

Life could have been worse, but if you keep in faith and believing God is working all things together for good, you will see that you are better than you were before. Appreciate how far you have come now. You may have not ‘arrived’ yet to your final destination, but you are still alive. God’s work is not yet finished. He will fulfill His promise.

Think that what looks like rejection or abortion of plans is the Lord’s protection when we are heading in the wrong direction. There was a lady who blamed God for not waking her up at 6:30 AM on the first day of her employment. God responded: “I am sorry my child. I have to send Gabriel, as the Angel of Death wanted to take your life. It took time for my Gabriel to win the battle on your behalf.” She turned on the TV and saw a big accident on the road she would have taken. It could have been her who was crushed by a big truck. It could have been worse.

In the book of First Corinthians thirteen verse twelve: “For presently we see through a glass unclear…I know in part; but then [one day] I will know fully…” May mga bagay na hindi pa natin lubos na nauunawaan ngayon, but soon we will understand that what He did is for good. Have you thanked God for those things that could have happened to us but it did not? That without God doing that thing, we could have been in a worse condition? Naranasan mo na bang magpasalamat sa Diyos for taking that person out of your life, though it hurts, now you realized why. Nagpasalamat ka na ba sa Lord na nawala ang mga bagay na ayaw mong bitawan, but for some reason it slipped out of your hands, because maybe that was not meant to stay forever. God sees the bigger picture of your life. He knows the blind spots of your journey. Put Him into the driver’s seat of your life; He can take you to better places you’ve never been.

I say this respectfully, but I always believe that when life takes out someone or something, it may be that God is redirecting us to a better future. That person you loved may have been gone, but God has someone better who will love you for what you are and not for what you can give. You don’t need someone who just uses you, abuse you and overuse you and not really “into you.” Believe that God has prepared the right person and the right connection in your life.

Minsan we see close doors which were meant to be, no matter how much we try, we are unable to open it. Let us learn to respect God and trust Him on that close door and unfair situation. Gaya ng daga, stop complaining, thinking na malas ka or walang kwenta ang buhay mo. You may not know what God did for you. How many people have to sacrifice for you and prayed for you just for you to get to where you are now?

There are times when people will put us down and humiliate us but believe that no weapon against you shall prosper. If God is for you, who can be against you? I like what Joseph said to his brothers who sold him into slavery: “As for you, you meant to harm me, but God intended it for a good purpose…” What is meant for your harm, God will use to your advantage.

Today, I want to encourage you to thank God for those trials, for closed doors and for people who walked away out of your life. It could have been worse. When lights enter the room, darkness ends. When one door shuts, it means that God opens up another door. When someone leaves you and said goodbye, God is preparing you to meet someone who will say hello. For His name’s sake, He will turn your life around and fulfill His promises to you, to be the head and not the tail, to be the first and not the last. Life could have been worse, but life is good in general.