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Friday, October 16, 2009Facing Discouragement
Once upon a time it was announced that the devil was going out of business and would sell all his equipment.
On sale were Envy, Jealousy, Hatred, Malice, Deceit, Sensuality, Pride, Idolatry, and other tools of evil. Each of the tools was marked with its own price tag.
Over in the corner by itself was a harmless looking, wedge-shaped tool very much worn, but still it bore a higher price than any of the others. Someone asked the devil what it was, and he answered, "That is Discouragement." The next question came quickly, "And why is it priced so high even though it is plain to see that it is worn more than these others?"
The devil replied, "It is one of my most effective tools. If I cannot get near him with any other tool, I use this to get into a person's heart. Once I get inside, I can use him or her in whatever suits me best. It is worn well because I use it on everybody, and the best part, only a few people know that it belongs to me."
Because it was priced so high, to this day it has never been sold. The devil still uses it to this day.
Actually, the devil used it again on me after my last blog.
For the last five months, this is the first time that I have not received any comment from a blog. I average more than a couple of thousand visitors every two weeks (I log in to 999 computers each week to read my blog). I was surprised that I did not get a single comment. I think I should start commenting on my blogs.
Honestly, I felt a little disappointed.
It did enter my mind that I should stop blogging.
No one's commenting anyway. It's a waste of time. It would be better if I spend my time in doing other things like making client calls.
But wait... why am I still blogging?
Here's what happened. Rather than focusing on the zero comments, I focus on what I have learned why this happened.
What did I learn?
That Satan tries to make our problems look bigger than they really are, trying to discourage us.
When I started to blog, I have no guarantee that I would get comments from somebody. Being nobody, I expected little (this is wrong as I should always expect abundance - I will talk more about this soon). All I knew was I will have readers and what I am doing will be good for both me and my readers.
No doubt, for the past five months, I have become a student of my blog.
We always have the tendency to question the wrong things that are happening in our lives. Worry and anxiety clouds our minds and if we do not find a reason or the solution, we feel discouraged.
Let us always remember this - God's grace is far bigger than our worries and anxieties.
The message of Paul the apostle is very clear - My grace is sufficient for you. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Let me tell you another story...
A man stopped to watch a Little League baseball game. He asked one of the youngsters what the score was. "We're losing 18-0," was the answer.
"Well," said the man. "I must say you don't look discouraged."
"Discouraged?" the boy said, puzzled. "Why should we be discouraged? We haven't come to bat yet."
Problems, worries, anxiety and discouragement will keep swinging at you and will be making homeruns. However, if you quit in the middle of the game, guess what, you lose!
The secret is these three words - Don't give up.
Joseph (Genesis 37-40) and David (1 Samuel 16-24) are two characters in the bible who knows this secret.
When Joseph was seventeen, he dreamed that the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to him.
Did you know what happened after he told his brothers that dream?
First, his brothers stripped him off his robe and threw him into a well.
Then, they sold him for twenty shekels of silver to a merchant and then later sold again to an official in Egypt.
If that wasn't enough, he was wrongfully accused of sleeping with his master's wife and then thrown into prison and forgotten.
If I was Joseph, I would probably ask God this question - whatever happened to the sun moon and eleven stars bowing to me?
But Joseph kept going. He kept his faith on God. Everyone knows what happened next - at the age of 30, he became in charge of the whole land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:41-46)
Young David was anointed by Samuel to be the next king of Israel.
He had his victories but after a while, his very own king tried to kill him - several times.
Despite of the several attempts to take his life, David did not hold any grudge on his heart or was never discouraged or disheartened. He kept on doing the right thing - "The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD's anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD." (1 Samuel 24:6)
David ended up as one of the greatest kings in the bible.
Let me share you my story; ask me where I was in the New Year of 1998?
New Year's eve where everyone is having parties, I was roaming the streets of Metro Manila with 10 Pesos in my pocket and tears in my eyes. 10 Pesos is equivalent to 25 cents US dollar. In despair, hopeless, beaten down and yes – Discouraged – with a capital D.
But I did not give up. I know this is not "the end." I expect that there will be better days!
Never in my life I dreamed of being here, writing something that makes sense... but here I am. And I will keep on going and going and going.
It's so easy to lose focus on the promises of God for us when we get discouraged. We could not find any satisfaction with our current situation.
Let me give you an example. Do you still remember the time when you were looking for a job?
Here's what happened.
When you could not find a job, you get discouraged.
When you got hired then later you found out that the job is not the job you wanted or your employer is not paying you enough for the work you do or your boss becomes your enemy or for whatever reason that you are no longer happy with your job but you can't quit because you have to earn a living, you get discouraged.
When you got laid off from work, you get discouraged.
I don't blame anyone for feeling this way. I have been in that position - a lot of times.
But you know what, when I got laid off from last work, I did not see the end of the world. What I saw was opportunities opening in my life.
If I hadn't been laid off, I would probably be stuck in the corporate world. I wouldn't be able to do the things that I wanted to do, like this blog for example.
Feeling discouraged is very stressful.
Bottom line is, we are so blessed to be discouraged.
When you escape this feeling of discouragement by comparing yourself with others, you are cheating yourself. Never compare your situation with others. If you compare yourself with others, you will become either proud by saying "regardless of where we are, we are still in a better position than others" or discouraged by saying "I have no hope" — neither of the two is from God.
Let's live by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)
Keep on going!
By the way, have you seen some of the pictures during the recent flood in the Philippines?
I've seen floods in Metro Manila before but never this magnitude. They called it the worst flood in the Philippines.
But you know what, regardless of the floods that I've been through, there is one thing common until now - Filipinos have the amazing ability to smile in the middle of a calamity.
I have selected some pictures that I took from the internet to show you how we smile through the storm.
Still smiling despite their houses and other properties were destroyed by flood – This only shows how hopeful the people are.
Helping their neighbors despite their differences – They all forgot about it and lend a hand to those who needs. Sharing what they only got to others.
Look at this picture. You will see them how they value their families rather than their properties. Look at the woman's face on the back. She probably lost all her material things—and she can still smile. Just incredible!
We may be in a storm today but I'm 100 percent sure that the sun will shine tomorrow.
Scripture says, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thesalonians 5:16-18)
Let's drop being disappointed and let's start being grateful for what we are and what we have, today!
God is the greatest!
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