Tuesday, March 13, 2012

A Change in Climate


It wasn't a very pleasant day for me today. I woke up with a heavy head and I had a hard time speaking due to an achy throat. I felt very sick. It's the same old feeling - the familiar season which reminds me of the sudden change in climate. Yesterday, the weather was scorching hot. The next day, an umbrella can't even save me from getting wet. The abrupt shifting of weather made my body weak and vulnerable.
I totally hate medicine but I had no choice but to take some. I need to get well soon and move forward with life. After hours of light work, healthy perspiration and glasses of alkaline water I could feel my fever subsiding. However, the uneasy and bothered feeling perseveres. I prayed and meditated on my condition. I asked God for healing and restoration and He answered with a new revelation - another pleasant surprise from God that I didn't see coming.
The first quarter of 2012 is undeniably the most challenging and most emotional season of my life to date. An immense stretching of faith took course - a Job-like story surfaced from the ground of my convenience. Great waves of challenges charged towards me.
My new year opened with blasts, not of beautiful fireworks but of odd ordeals. People dearest to me have been individually diagnosed with disturbing health conditions. I can still remember how hard I struggled to battle the inexplicable sorrow brought about by the situation - those moments when my heart burned in deep agony, those nights when I tried not to cry only to make my every breath tremble in despair, those times when I had to contain all the emotions within me and be strong for my family. It was the very first time in my life when I felt incapable and powerless. I contemplated and knew back then that I have no control over the situation. When I think back and remember what had happened, I'm always reminded of how gracious and loving God really is. He never left me. Through my family, He gave me strength and encouragement. Through my brothers and sisters in Christ, I felt His presence vividly. How would I ever forget that afternoon when I entered the bathroom and just broke down in gasping tears. It felt like all the burden my heart collected for days burst out. As the cold water from the shower ran down my face to wash those burning tears, I felt the warmth of God's embrace. He whispered to my spirit telling me, "you're stronger than you think you are". And it reminded me of His word, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13). God saw me through it all.
It was just the beginning of God's indescribable plan, February of this year brought the season of financial adversity to me. It became even more painful with the fact that the scope of my responsibility had been amplified beyond my family. The failure to provide for them was both disappointiong and frustrating. A lot of times I was tempted to give in to evil's call and compromise my faith - do things my way and solve everything easily. I asked God, "What have I done wrong? Where is your promise? Am I not worthy of your riches and glory?". He replied, "I will meet all your needs according to the riches of my glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19). It took me days to absorb what He's trying to say. Then God's correction caught my heart. He was teaching me to change my perception of His riches. Financial prosperity is just a portion of His provision. Everything that I have and everything that I am is from the riches of His glory. Anything that is beyond what He allows for me would only bring me destruction and God wouldn't let that happen. My life alone is an abundance. God surrounded me with so much source of genuine joy - a loving family, caring friends, faithful brothers and sisters in Christ. And the greatest treasure that I possess is Jesus - who makes me thrive and never run out of life.
Now this month introduced the greatest challenge - the call to serve Him through ministry. Many times I responded with a "No" but this time, God rid me off all the petty reasons to not say "Yes". Obedience is an essential part of growth. As a child, our physical growth depends on our obedience to the call of nature to eat proper food. As a student, our mental growth depends on our obedience to the system of learning and application. As a professional, our career growth depends on our obedience to the requirements of our superiors and clients. And as a Christian, our spiritual growth depends on our obedience to God's call. Only in our humble position can God exalt us. Only in our emptiness can God fill us. Only in our service can God honor us.
Our hardship is not a curse from God, it's actually a motivation - an opportunity for us to be even stronger and develop a deeper and more intimate relationship with the Father. Our financial scarcity is not an abandonment of God, it's actually a realignment - a chance for us to value the richness of life beyond material things. Our service to God is not an oppression, it's actually a favor - a privilege to be blessed even more in order to be a vessel of his divine provision.
As I reach the end of this writing, my body's feeling better but my spirit is still agitated - which tells me that God is doing something in the spirit. Just as how my physical body responds to the change in earthly weather, my divine being reacts to the change in spiritual climate. I believe that God is preparing me for the tsunamis of blessing and storms of provision He is going to release in the spiritual realm. He allowed me to go through all those circumstances to strengthen my spiritual body - that I may be able to carry all the heavenly fortunes when they arrive.
When you feel like the circumstances are dragging you down; when things aren't turning out the way you plan; when it seems like you're being drawn to an inconvenient and difficult situation, be sensitive in the spirit. A change in climate might be approaching.