Thank 2019 for the bad times.

Photo by: Duane Japeth Biñas

Yes, 2019 has been by far the worst year of your life.

You broke up with your boyfriend in the early month of the year. Well, that's quite a welcoming for the new year girl. You aren't quite sure when you will be ready again. You often ask yourself, Why am I not enough? What is really my fate? Well, guess what? No one knows. And that's okay.

You had to face a big adjustment from being a student to being a professional. Less time for yourself. More time for your career. No more workout. No more usual activities you had before. Less sleep. And that's okay.

You experience an introduction to adulting life. The time when you realize that the only person there for you is yourself. Most of the time, you give yourself to others by comforting, listening, and sharing yourself. People are getting worried about how much you've taken yourself for granted just to be there for others.


And then you learn,

- To forgive-
When people denied Jesus; When they chose a sinful criminal who deserves what Jesus went through and chose Barabbas over who wants only the good for others; When Peter denied Jesus when he was arrested, Jesus did not dwell on the feeling of being angry. Instead, he forgave them all. It's not easy,

yes, it takes time for us. But one thing you learned about this? You can never forgive others if you cannot forgive yourself. It took a lot of time and confidence to do that. However, by doing so, you're building yourself up again, like baby steps, until you become whole once more.  And life would be meaningful, for you are fulfilling the purpose the Lord has for you.

- To do your job for the glory of God-
As you venture more about the corporate world, it is quite stressing. But that won't be anymore whenever you realize that you're not doing it for money, but for service. You're not doing it as a competition but as a mission. "Whatever you do, work with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." Colossians 3:23. And life would be meaningful, for you are fulfilling the purpose the Lord has for you.

- To intercede in other people's lives-
"There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land." Deuteronomy 15:11. You get to meet people who seem hopeless about life. People who say "I'm tired". But you can't just blame them for they've been through a lot too. They are depressed. They lost their strength, and are willing to give up. You can't just leave them like that, nor just listen. There's one thing you know that is most powerful above all that could help them full blow: Prayer. And when you see them happy again, it warms your heart, and you're way happier than ever! Guess what? you just became an instrument by God to save people. Finally, you understand compassion: Loving the Least, the Last, and the Lost. And life would be meaningful, for you are fulfilling the purpose the Lord has for you.

That's not all your problems? Maybe. But you decided to live in a way of facing everything, inspite all, you still say "Life is Beautiful". You choose to live a life looking at problems as graces and blessings. You know it's a lesson and a message from God. With that, you pray, "God, I thank you for the cross." And most of all, you choose to suffer happily, just like how Mother Teresa suffered in poverty and still remained happy. Life is a matter of choice. Everyday is a constant struggle in becoming a better person. It doesn't happen with a snap of a finger, but constantly trying is a constant movement closer to God. In every  reaction you have to make, you ask yourself, "What would Jesus do?"