Sorry Is All It Takes

One day, God and Satan were having a conversation…

Satan: God, you’re really so unfair!

God: And why is that?

Satan: Look at these people. Everyday they sin against you. They hurt you each and every time. But once they’ve said sorry, you are quick to forgive them.

God: So what?

Satan: I only disobeyed and hurt you once. Just once! And yet you didn’t forgive me. That’s unfair!

God: Why? Did you ask me for forgiveness?

———————–

Just like in the Parable of the Lost/Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), as soon as the Son asked his Father for forgiveness, the Father instantly forgave his Son. Actually the Father already forgave his Son even before the Son spoke to his Father. Going home was the Son’s way of admitting he was wrong so as soon as the Father saw his Son, the Father forgave him at that very moment.

The Son probably knew that his Father will quickly forgive him once he comes home. The Son probably knew that he was already forgiven the moment his Father hugged and kissed him. Still, the Son decided to SAY he is sorry by admitting he has “sinned against heaven and against you”. He didn’t have to say he was sorry but he did anyway.

It’s not enough that we realized that we did something wrong. We should also admit by confessing that we did something wrong. It’s a way of humbling ourselves, putting ourselves at the mercy of other people, and allowing people to judge us. And if we are forgiven and accepted still even after the wrong things we have done, that means we are truly loved, for true love is unconditional. Being forgiven is like getting “I love you too” after you said “I love you”.

To end this blog, here is a song about The Prodigal Son entitled When God Ran by Phillips, Craig and Dean.

Leaders: Humility and Desire

I joined my ministry back in 2004. Just after my first year, I dreamt of holding every position there is in our ministry, and they are:  YLSS/YE Class Shepherd, Team Head, become one of the Tricord (now Pentacord), Pastoral Shepherd, YE Facilitator, and Working Team Head. These aren’t just titles to me. I really love my ministry and I really want to be very involved, and through those positions, I believe I could do more for the ministry. Out of all those positions, the only ones I wasn’t able to get was being one of the Tricord/Pentacord and one of the Working Team Heads. Compared to some, I have attained a lot. Not very many were fortunate enough to hold that much positions within the ministry. But even though I was able to hold those many positions, I can’t say I was a very effective and good leader. Thankfully, God used those experiences, even those failures to teach me a lot. Probably one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned came from the time I wanted to become one of the 12 Team Heads so bad.

Summer 2006, YLSS 8SP — I was called to serve as a Shepherd for that year’s YLSS. I know that after that YLSS, a new set of Team Heads will be selected and being part of the Pastoral Team would make me eligible to be selected as one of the incoming Team Heads. I wanted to be one of the Praise Team Heads. At that time, only one out of 2 slots is vacant for the Praise Team Head position. The ministry had already someone in mind but I personally believe that he wasn’t the right person for the position. So, nagpaka-bibo ako that time. I was a member of the Praise Team so I tried to show everyone how talented I am and how capable I am, that I was the right person for the job.

Fast-forward to July or August (can’t remember which exactly), I wasn’t chosen to be one of the new Team Heads. The person, who was everyone’s bet in becoming the next Praise Team Head got my dream position. I became bitter, jealous, and very disappointed. I became more jealous because 2 of my co-lambs became Team Heads as well. Iniyakan ko yun and I even thought of leaving the ministry just because of that.

“God doesn’t call those who are qualified. Rather, He qualifies those who are called.”

God knew that nagpaka-bibo lang ako just to show everyone that I’m the right person for the job. Not only I was very proud, it wasn’t the real me. I mean, God knew that I was just showing off and if I were actually given that position, I might not be able to do my job properly. That I didn’t really have the necessary skills, knowledge, wisdom, and experience to handle that position. But even if I was qualified, a good servant is not proud and with that I am no longer suitable to be a head. A good servant and leader is humble and I wasn’t that at that time. So I tried to get my act straight. I tried to understand why that had to happen and what was God’s plan for me. What was the silver lining? Just after about 2 months, one of the 12 Team Heads decided to leave. To my surprise, I was chosen to fill the slot and I was assigned to be one of the Intercessory Team Heads and that is where I served for 3 years before I got my dream position as a Team Head, the Praise Team Head.

When I became the Intercessory Team Head, I had no idea why I was assigned in that team. I wasn’t a good intercessor. I actually didn’t pray a lot. Again, I was reminded that “God qualifies those who are called”. Sure enough, even though I am more of a musician than an intercessor, I can honestly say that I’ve learned more and done more as an Intercessory Team Head than as a Praise Team Head. It was actually more fulfilling. And I think I was more successful as a leader when I was the Intercessory Team Head. I was able to develop and use my gift of Faith and Healing back when I was in that team. All I was able to develop when I was the Praise Team Head was my stubbornness, hot-headedness, and being very strict.

End of sharing.

My point is the moment you think and feel that you’re the right person for the job is the moment you become the wrong person for the job. It takes a lot of humility to be that close to God and to serve God in a bigger way. When much is given, more is required — more of God and less of you in yourself and life. You can’t be your normal self and have that only-a-member lifestyle when you become a leader. You need to leave your old self, become better and be a good example for everyone no matter how tough and frustrating that can be. Some leaders make their “being a leader” a year- (2 or more in some cases) long fasting.

Being a leader is never easy. It shouldn’t be easy because it requires a lot of hard work and discipline. But just because it ain’t easy doesn’t mean we should never want being a leader. Being a leader brings forth challenges, and these challenges, like problems in life, are needed to help us become better servants and persons. We should all desire to improve ourselves. We should all desire to have responsibilities. We should all desire to become leaders.

God’s Authority

“Do not grow discouraged if a situation exceeds your competence & resources. At issue is your belief. Do you trust that Christ is able & willing to use your life to accomplish His work? When God sets an assignment before you, what you do next reveals what you believe about Him.”

- April 11, Discovering God’s Daily Agenda by Henry & Richard Blackaby

Too BUSY To Pray?

Be The Miracle

God: The wonderful thing–no matter how filthy something gets, you could always clean it right up.

Bruce: There were so many. I just gave them all what they wanted.

God: Yeah. But since when does anyone have a clue about what they want?

Bruce: So what do I do?

God: Parting your suit is not a miracle, Bruce. That’s a magic trick. A single mom who’s working two jobs and still finds time to take her kids to soccer practice, that’s a miracle. A teenager who says no to drugs and yes to education, that’s a miracle. People want me to do everything for them. What they don’t realize is they have the power. You wanna see a miracle, son? Be the miracle.

Bruce: Wait. Are you leaving?God: Yeah. I figure you can handle things now.

Bruce: What if I need you? What if I have questions?

God: That’s your problem, Bruce. That’s everybody’s problem. You keep looking up!

 

[from the movie Bruce Almighty (2003)]

Pain Leads To Happiness

My fingers are sore from playing the cajon today at our worship service, but it’s worth it. =)

Pain may cause happiness.

Even though having sore fingers are a bit painful, it makes me happy knowing that this pain was brought by serving the Lord through music.

Today, at our ministry’s PWA (Post-Worship Activity), we talked about how the cross was a sign of pain, suffering, punishment,  and disgrace years ago. Through Christ, that meaning changed. Now, the cross is a symbol of the Christian faith, hope, love, discipline, patience. Through Christ’s suffering, we are now free and can have a happier life, with God of course.

Serving God, you’ll go through a lot of challenges. These challenges are very difficult and they only become more and more difficult everytime you surpass one. It’s God’s way of molding us. These challenges may often cause pain and suffering and, in the end, all of it is nothing compared to the joy or reward after we overcome those challenges.

Instead of running away from the pain and/or letting it eat you up inside, we should embrace it, just like Jesus did when He held that cross. He embraced it, accepted it, and understood why it had to happen.

These sore fingers are not the only pains in my life right now. I’m accepting every pain little by little, trying to understand why it had to happen, what good thing can I get or learn from all of it, and use it to make myself better.

So carry your cross, own it, embrace it, learn from it. I’m sure the pain is all worth it in the end. =)

God’s Presence With Us

March 17, Discovering God’s Daily Agenda by Henry & Richard Blackaby

“God is under no obligation to save us from the adversity we consequently encounter, especially if we have brought it on ourselves.”

I guess that’s the answer to my question why God isn’t helping me at all, why I deserve all this. I brought this on myself.

Problems: It’s A Good thing

Just as God prepared Esther, He is preparing you for His next assignment for you. Each step of faithfulness prepares you for what awaits. God will use your current circumstances for His next great work in and through your life. (March 7, Discovering God’s Daily Agenda by Henry & Richard Blackaby)

I’m a stubborn person and, many years ago, I’ve always asked myself and God why I had to go through the same problems over and over. I just don’t get it! Haven’t I had enough? But as the years pass, and with the help of my ministry, I’ve learned that there’s a reason why that had to happen and they’re not just the same problems. Those problems may have the same “theme” but every time I go through one, the level of difficulty increases.

It’s because I’m stubborn that’s why I have to through that same kind of problem over and over. Of course God knows I can’t take on the highest level on my first attempt. I had to ease my way into overcoming that kind of problem. If I’m done with it and learned everything from it, God will give me a different kind of problem. I’m glad i’m not that stubborn anymore (and now a bit wiser) so I get to learn more and faster, and is able to take on higher levels of my problems. And I’m glad I have problems. It just shows that God wants me to become better and He is training me, molding me, using my problems as my personal gym to “beef me up”. So be happy when you have problems. Be worried if you don’t have any (James 1:2-3).

This reflection reminded me of this part in the movie Evan Almighty (2007) where God told the family that when people ask Him for courage, He doesn’t give them courage instantly. Instead, He gives them an opportunity to be courageous. We have to remember that we are created in the image of God. Through Jesus Christ, God showed us that man is capable of doing good and, if we have faith in God, we can be like Jesus Christ. Every good thing that God possesses, we also have. We just don’t realize it. That’s why God doesn’t need to give us anything because we already have it. We all need to be subjected to certain circumstances that would help us find that characteristic, find it and then use it. We as His people don’t realize yet how very capable we are. Even I still don’t know how capable I am. But I know God will put me through things so that one day I would know the things I am capable of, and use it to grow, become a better person, and above all, help other people.

So the next time you encounter a problem, don’t ask God to take it away from you. It’s just God’s way of giving you want you’ve always wanted. He’s just testing you if you can actually get it for yourself and how much you really want it. God works in mysterious ways after all. His ways are above our ways (Isaiah 55:9).

A Seed of Happiness

One of my mantras lately is “I choose to be happy“. We have been given the gift of free will. We can freely choose to do anything that will satisfy our desires. The same goes for happiness–we can choose to be happy. People look for happiness in a lot of earthly things. Like love, happiness should come from ourselves.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. – Matthew 6:33

Seek first the kingdom of God. Seek first the Giver before the gift. Seek the Healer before the healing. True happiness can be found in God alone. And if God resides in our hearts, we only have to look inside us to find true happiness. But people will say, “But I have a lot of problems and they’re too much to handle. Being happy is very difficult.”

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” – Matthew 17:20; Luke 17:6

These mountains are our problems and our challenges in life. If we have faith the size of a mustard seed, then we can move these mountains and move on along the this road called life. No matter how stressful and depressing things may be  around you, if you can find within yourself any reason to be happy, no matter how simple and little that reason may be, it can and will make you happy. Like any seed, if you’ll nurture it, it will grow and will be very strong. If you nurture that very small reason to be happy, if you nurture it, it will grow and fill you with happiness, and it will surely last the whole day or even longer. The key to happiness is that simple and yet not that obvious. Come on guys, what is the middle letter in the word “happiness”?

So if you’re down in the dumps, just go say to yourself “I choose to be happy”. Find that reason to be happy within yourself, nurture it, and be filled with happiness! =)