I HAVE read a lot of posts on social media bidding 2016 goodbye in the context of “good riddance” to all the challenges, losses, disappointments the year that is about to end has brought on both the personal and collective levels
Indeed, it is hard to fathom how our loving God would subject us to hardship and heartaches when he promises us that “All things work together for the good (Romans 8:28)” to those who love and have faith in Him.
But when the dust settles and our eyes are not blinded by tears, we realize how God shows us His love and mercy even during moments when we feel lost, abandoned, and forgotten.
Going back to the verse I quoted above unlocks the answer to the question many people in pain or mourning ask — “Why did God allow this to happen?” Romans 8:28 says EVERYTHING works TOGETHER for the good, and as my favorite pastor Joel Osteen pointed out in one of his messages: having faith in God’s promise requires us to look at everything that happens in our life — both the good and the bad — together, because they all work in concert so we may end in “All is well.”
Truly, if we only focus on a mistake, heartache, disappointment, or a loss, it is hard to fathom what good will come out of it. But know in faith that everything happens for a reason, and that someday we will realize how this “set back” is actually being used by God to set us up for something bigger and brighter as we fulfill our mission in life.
The good news is as we feel like we are walking in the valley of despair, our Lord gives us all the the grace and strength we need to get us through the valley, with the help of friends and family who become our angels; through blessings and circumstances that remind us that He is still in control and working behind the scenes to help us do things we cannot do on our own.
As He helps us walk through the valley, God is preparing us by flexing our spiritual muscles so we may be ready to fulfill what He has tasked us to do with our lives.
At the core of what God is asking from us is FAITH. We have to believe before we see, instead of wanting to see before we believe. It is in working hard within us to keep our peace knowing that God will never forsake us, and what could be a better way to show our FAITH than by being at peace, praising God and not letting anything steal our joy away even and especially during the toughest most challenging moments of our life?
To me, this is the hardest part of being a Christian, but I realize this is what true faith is all about.
As we say goodbye to 2016, let us count not only the losses, heartaches, and disappointments but also those blessings we have received from God in the past year. Let us see through the lens of our teary eyes, the times He has spared us and our loved ones from sickness, accident, or a heavier cross to carry. Let us remember the lessons the year has brought us, blow a kiss to the pain, and look forward to a better brighter year in 2017.
Whatever happened in 2016 will lead us to “All is well” in 2017 and the many years to come. We just have to believe it in our hearts. We just have to plant that seed of faith in our hearts, nurture it with positive thoughts focusing on the good things we pray to God about, and believe that the answer is on the way — in God’s perfect timing.
Proverbs 16:3 says, ”Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Osteen wrote:
When you commit something to the Lord, it means you place everything about it in His hands. It means you trust Him with the process and with the end result. It also means that you are willing to lay it down and let it go if you sense Him speaking to your heart, “This isn’t the right thing for you right now.”
Maybe you don’t have any specific goals or plans for the new year yet. Maybe you’ve had some circumstances that have thrown you off course or you’ve felt overwhelmed by life. Your part is to commit each day to Him and let Him lead you moment by moment.
Let me end with this message my late Daddy would always remind me:
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.And the peace of God, surpassing all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phillippians 4:6,7)
HAPPY NEW YEAR!.
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
