PERSUADED...

2009 flashback...

The month of May was fast approaching… Flowers bloomed to its full potential, as the spring time comes to an end. The sun slowly take its course, giving a balance warm temperature, advising those who were attentive to its surrounding, that summer is just around the corner. As my normal Sunday morning routine, I force myself up and start to wake everyone whose curled up under very comfortable blankets. I was not at all at my best. My work became so overwhelming, and all my personal plans seem to have turned the wrong way (and, I was sleep deprived and just plain tired from very long work hours and things.) After waking everyone up, I grab my pink ipod from my bag laying on the corner of our bedroom, and begin to play the most upbeat praise songs I could find.  I turn up the volume and start to get dress for church. [Note: I remember this vividly as it's an experience I will never ever forget.]

As always, Sunday morning service was awesome, but, I still felt tired and discourage about things. Why, why, why, why, why????????????. After lunch, my family and I started heading east for a Sunday afternoon service. As my husband was focus on his driving, I was quietly throwing questions after questions in my head. I had more questions than myself can answer. Actually, when I think about it, I laugh. Just imagine, you throw so much questions to yourself that it jam the processing area of your brain – doesn't it put a smile to your face? Anyway, I put myself together as we were approaching our destination.

The service began and it was time for the word of God. My husband was the preacher that day.  He read the text of his message: Romans 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I was shocked! As I very well know that life's journey consists of ups and downs, so the word "persuaded" have haunted me for months.

I was sitting in the front row of the church, as I heedfully listen to every word that came out of the preacher's mouth. Every word that I heard went straight to my heart like an arrow. As he was finishing his message, he invited everyone to spend some time with God. I knelt down on the left corner of the church and I began talking to God. I asked Him all the questions I could think of, I confess to Him all my doubts, I told Him I was discourage by many things, and that, I don't understand why things (and people) are the way they are. I guess it's safe for me to say, "this was one of my gray days" and honestly, there was no ounce of persuasion in me when I walked in that room 40 minutes earlier. Oppressions were more than I can bare. As I talk to God, God began to reveal to me His greatness and power. Who created the heavens and the earth and everything in it? Do you see the stars, the moon, the milky way, the sky, the gravity, the seas, the plants, the birds, the bacterias and all living creatures? (All His creations were made with a purpose) Who is the supplier of their needs? Isn't it I your God? I wept like I have never wept in my entire life. Really!, who was I to doubt and question Him about everything I think is going wrong in my life? Just because of what I call 'oppressions' or because 'things did not happen as I plan' or to 'my liking', I am discourage? Do I really need somebody to constantly tap me on the back to encourage me? Isn't God's work, power and greatness enough for me to be encourage and stay persuaded? This is when I truly realized that in life, it's not about how I feel or my situations, it's how I handle it and how I respond towards anything that comes my way. As my husband once told me, "troubles will always come. It's part of life. Look at it in a perspective that they are the spices of our life, until we reach our final destination which is the arms of our savior Jesus Christ." In Deuteronomy 31:6 God promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us… Matthew 28:19, even unto the ends of the world. Isaiah 55:9, God's ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.

For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Because once I am NOT persuaded, I know I will be consumed by the spirit that is NON of God's, as my heart harden, as I slowly drift away from His love and presence.

My thought of the day:  Our attitude is the key to what happens in our journey.

Try this:  Heed to God's creations and you will realize (persuaded for me) on how powerful and mighty He is.