When Life is Not Okay

These are my notes from B1GFridays: When Life is Not Okay

PAIN is a reality of life and sometimes, life is NOT really okay. In fact, 33.3 Million of Pinoys suffer from depressions (helplessness/hopelessness). We experience different things that can cause us a lot of stress such as:

• bosses/supervisors
• traffic problems
• financial problems
• relationship problems
• health problems
• unwanted pregnancies
• the more hours you work, the more stressed you become

In the book of Job, it showed how a person anchored to God can surpass everything.

• Job 1:1-2 – We see how Job was blessed with his family (with 10 children), yet he lost it all.
• Job 1:3-4 – We see how Job was blessed with his abundant possessions, yet he lost everything.
• Job 1:5 – He still seeks to praise the Lord
• Job 2:7-8 – His health suffered
• Job 2:9 – His wife was even unsupportive
• Job 16:1-2 – Job’s friends are not really helping him at all
• Job 1:20-21 – Job admitted he is having a difficult time. He did not hide his pain and at times like this, faith becomes an option.

How do I respond to my own life difficulties? How do I respond to others when they feel down?

Truth is, we normally run away from the Lord. We sometimes blame Him for the misfortunes and life disasters.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.

1 Peter 4:12-13 NASB

For us believers, the apostle Paul is telling us to not be surprised by the fiery ordeals that may happen in our lives. We have to make sure we are ready and let us not be caught off guard since we become sensitive to sin. However, there are actually times that we are caught off guard because we usually go on our own way.

Sometimes, we do not see things coming in our way. It is actually when we feel like we are in our most comfortable, when we have the things we think are valuable, and when we think things are going smoothly, we experience ‘testing’ and whenever we experience this ‘testing’, we must always choose a path of FAITH.

We have to understand that Rejoicing is a GIFT to having joy and peace. Why should we keep on rejoicing amidst the testing/challenges?

• It is a command (as cited in 1 Peter 4:12-13).
• It must be a lifestyle.
• Not done in our own strength.
• The continuous seeking of help from the Holy Spirit.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 NASB

Hope originated from God and if we put our hope in God, we will experience ALL joy and peace. Joy is the byproduct of the Holy Spirit that indicates our inner gladness. It is a gift from God and it is an assurance on what we genuinely believed in. Joy is something you cannot seek. Peace holds us together. It is binding together what was previously broken. It comes from believing. Believing is considering something true and you can trust. It results in joy and peace.

In Isaiah 53:3-4, it is the reality that hope comes from God, who knows all of our pains and troubles yet remains the same God of Love. Even if we run away from Him or storm the gates of heaven blaming Him, God remains the same – a faithful, loving God to us.

In Hebrews 4:15-16, we are called to draw confidence to the throne of Grace. We have to remind ourselves that we do not deserve Him and His grace and yet, He freely and lovingly gives it to us.

For you who are reading this, I may not know what are you going through right now but I bet God does. My main takeaway from this learning is that: Life must be a lifestyle of rejoicing no matter what happens.

Remember, Pain is Real, but so is HOPE.