Take chances, make mistakes. That’s how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fall in order to practice being brave. – Mary Tyler Moore

I would like to start in telling you a story of a pencil. Once a upon a time, there was a father who was writing at the terrace and his son saw him. “Dad what are you writing about?” The father replied: “I am writing something very important, my son. But you see, it’s not only what I write is important, but more of the pencil I use.” The boy said, “it’s an ordinary pencil I see, Dad.” The father responded: “Yes, I agree, it’s an ordinary pencil but you can learn many valuable lessons. It has five qualities that, if you can keep them, you will become a person who is always at peace with the world.”

The Pencil

“First quality: you are capable of great things, but you should never forget that there is a hand leading your steps. We call that hand God, and He always leads us in the way He wants.

“Second quality: sometimes I have to stop writing and use a sharpener. That hurts the pencil a little, but afterward, he’s much sharper. So you must also learn to deal with pain and sorrow, because they will make you a better person.

Third, we can always use a rubber with a pencil to fix any mistakes. This means that fixing something we did isn’t always a bad thing; it keeps us on the path to correctness. When we correct our errors, we have lessons learned.

“Fourth quality: What really counts about a pencil is not its wooden exterior, but the graphite inside. So always pay attention to what is going on inside of you. No matter what happens outside your life, do not allow anything to distract you and affect you. Remember what I told you the story of the ship: “it sinks not because of the water outside it, but when it allows the waters in it.”

“Finally, the pencil has a fifth quality: it always leaves a mark. In the same way, you should know that everything you do in life will leave a mark, so try to be aware of that in everything you do. Become a person who leaves a good mark in people’s lives. I want you to touch the hearts of others, be a blessing to your family, to yourself and to your community. You are designed to succeed.

Introduction

Maraming mga pagkakataon ang dumating sa atin pero marami din tayo pinalampas or nag try tayo but we failed because of many reasons – sometimes we let distractions and other people na nawalan tayo ng tamang disposisyon at focus sa buhay.

Madaling mabuhay sa panghihinayang, regrets dahil sa mga pagkakamali natin. Pero alam mo ba na alam ng Lord ang ating mga failures, ang mga sablay natin sa buhay. He knew we would mistake, we would fall that could stop us from being God wants us to be. Even if you have not made too many mistakes, but the good news is, the Lord’s plan is your life is still in tact. He has not abandoned his plans for you.

What the devil wants?

Ganyan ang ginagawa ng kaaway, ni Satanas, ng mga maninira. Some people will remind you of who you were in the past. They will replay the past and say you tried it before but you messed it up. You had that chance but you blew it. If it did not work before, why do you think it will work now? Stop dreaming. Be realistic. Be practical. They will tell you, you just don’t have what it takes to win, to succeed. You know what, that’s a lie! You are not defined by your mistakes, but you are prepared because of your mistakes. Your failure becomes your teacher. Wag ka agad sumuko sa buhay dahil nagkamali ka noon. Learn the lessons out of those past errors and move on so you do not make the same mistakes again.

Moses

Noong si Moses went to the Mount Sinai, God spoke to him. Andoon si Moses for 40 days. Nalukuban ng mga ulap ang bundok and there was a huge lightning and thunderstorm. It was at the time that Moses received the 10 commandments from God to become the rules of life for the Israelites. It was the 2 pieces of stone where God wrote His commands for His people. Syempre namangha si Moses. He met the Creator of the Universe and the Lord made him His man.

Ngunit noong bumaba si Moses from the Mount Sinai, nakita niya ang mga Israelita na gumawa ng diyos-diyosang baka gawa sa ginto. Sumasayaw sila, at masayang sinasamba ang baka. Sa sobrang galit ni Moses ay binasag niya ang two stone tablets na ibinigay sa kanya ng Panginoon. Nabasag ang mga banal na batong iyon sa lupa. You can say that how could Moses break something which is sacred? How could Moses let his anger break something very valuable? Pwede nating isipin na maaaring nagtampo ang Lord sa kanya: “Bakit mo hinayaang mabasag, masira ang isang mahalagang bagay na ibinigay ko sa iyo, Moses?”

Biblical Application

Pero marami sa atin ang gaya ni Moses. We allow our anger to destroy somethings which are very precious. Out of jealousy, we burn the bridge that connects us from a relationship that we cherish. We mishandled relationships because of hate, pride at tayo din naman ang nasisira at ang ating mga mahal sa buhay. Alam nating may mga plano ang Diyos sa atin and we always mention in:

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”

but then we failed and get more disappointed.

The Bible says that it is small foxes that destroy the great vines.

Hinayaan ni Moses na masira ng mga tao ang maganda gift sa kanya ng Diyos. He allowed the actions of other to make him unhappy, angry and frustrated. Minsan ganyan din tayo, we allow things to make us happy or unhappy. Pag ok lahat, masaya tayo, pero pag may problema, we get easily upset, na minsan nasisira na ang mga plano natin. Tandaan natin na hindi pwedeng asahan palagi na ang mga tao ay gagawa ng maganda at tama sa tingin natin. People make mistakes, just like we do. But do not destroy the good things you have because of all the problems around you. Your dreams, your gifts, your family, your future, your peace must be protected.

Race in Europe

There was a race in Europe where each participant is given a torch. Each of them has to run towards the finish line but it is a long and winding road. They will all face the elements of strong winds and rains. But the key is to get into the finish line with the fire on the torch burning.

This is what we need to do, we keep walking, moving forward, despite of the negativities, problems, betrayals and sufferings, we must protect that fire, that dream, that ambition, that goal, that talent, God gave you. It is your job to reach the finish line, so to speak. After all these things, you can look back and see how far God has taken you in life, if you do not get stuck and move up.

What you have messed up before, God is giving you another chance. Pwedeng iwanan na ng Lord si Moses dahil sa pagkakamali niya, but no God did not. But Moses asked for forgiveness. Then something happened in Deuteronomy 10:1-2 it said:

“Prepare the two stone tablets like the first ones. Go back up the mountain and I will write the same words that were on the ones you have smashed.”

Talagang maawain ang Diyos. God could have abandoned Moses but He said instead: “Moses I know you destroyed the sacred stones I gave you, you let your anger get the best of you, but despite of that, I am inviting you again to go up to the Mount Sinai so I can redo what was broken. I am giving you another chance.” Yong akala mong wala ng pag-asa, but God will remind you of His mercy, His understanding, if you come back to the mountain, so to speak, the Lord will put things back together for you.

Maaring may mga panahon, pagkakataon na nasira or nawala sa atin, maaaring dahil sa galit natin, tampo, hinanakit or we allowed people to affect or infect us. Nawalan tayo ng pag-asa mangyari pa yong mga inaasahan natin, but if you believe again, go back up to the mountain, trust God again, He has another chance for you. He will write in your heart again what He promised you before.

I lost my job

I lost my job as a real estate which gave me security in earnings and lost my case in court. It was unfair but my wife pushed me to change career. I could not get back to big real estate developers because my bashers advertised me on newspapers in the UK. But I went up to the mountain again, I believed again, I asked God to give me another chance to succeed. He gave me another chance and now I became a trial attorney helping many people having legal problems.

Samuel

May babae sa Bible na ang pangalan ay Hannah. Matagal na syang nag pray sa Lord na magkaroon ng anak. “Lord, magka anak lang po ako, I will take him to the temple and dedicate him to You to serve You. Ipinanganak niya sa Samuel. Isang gabi natutulog ang batang si Samuel, he heard a voice, “Samuel, Samuel.” He went to ask Eli who said that nobody called him. Another voice came up: “Samuel, Samuel” he went back to Eli again and said it was not him, maybe nanaginip lang daw si Samuel. On the 3rd time, the voice called up: “Samuel, Samuel”, Eli said to Samuel it is God who is calling you. Say this: “Here I am Lord. Your servant is listening.” God spoke to prophet Samuel mightily. He could have missed God’s voice, but God was patient for Samuel to say he was ready to serve.

Kagaya ng buhay ni Samuel, God is not giving up on you. What you think has passed, He is calling you again and again to give you another chance. Don’t be caught up in the “busyness” of life that you failed to hear God’s voice. Talk to Jesus: “Lord, I am listening.” When you do this, He will tell you greater things you do not understand.

Samson

Ganyan din sa Samson. Siya ay destined to become a great man of God. Alam niya na siya ay may special calling from the Lord. But he messed it up. He had Delilah who disclosed his secrets of power and strength. Just like Moses who threw the Ten Commandments, Samson also failed to use his full potential God gave him. Nalaman ng mga Philistines that Samson’s hair was the reason for his superpower, they cut his hair and took his eyes off. They bound, chained and used him to grind the rice mill. Samson was the reason for his downfall. He had the favor but he wasted it.

The Philistines maybe laughing their hearts out, celebrating the failure of Samson. God could have said to Samson, “that’s what you deserve for being careless…” But Samson ‘went back up to his mountain’, prayed and asked God in Judges 16:28 “Then Samson prayed to the LORD, “Sovereign LORD, remember me again. O God, please strengthen me just one more time. With one blow let me pay back the Philistines for my loss..” After that prayer, the Bible said that the Spirit of the Lord came back to Samson to defeat his enemies. Ganyan kabuti ang ating Diyos, sa gitna ng pagsubok, pag-iyak, pagkatalo, He will be there to be with you. He gave Samson another chance to win.

Gaya nina Moses at Samson, you too could have things mishandled. Nasira ang mga pangarap mo dahil kay ganoon at ganito. Ay kung maibabalik mo lang ang mga dating ikot ng mundo, you could have made a better choices. Pero hindi mo kelangan mawalan ng pag-asa ngayon because God is giving you another chance to correct the mistakes you made. Hindi pa huli ang lahat. God is calling you again today, go back up to the mountain so He can re-write your dreams, He can re-plan your life. Whatever you have shattered, in His time, He will make all things beautiful. Good things are about to happen, new opportunities, better relationships are about to come upon your life.