Thursday, October 23, 2014

God's will through desperate times

It is easy to say "It is God's will" or "It is God's plan" when we see the big picture. But when we are facing trials, struggles or in desperate times, it really is hard to say that "This is part of God's plan" until we see the result, or when we receive something better. When Joseph was sold by his brothers to the traders, it was only years later that we will realize that it was part of God's will, His plan to save a country and the brothers of Joseph.


Realizing God's plan

When we are in tough situations, it is hard to see God's plan in it not until we see the result. In my post Growing up as pk and my life changing experience, I did not see God's plan immediately in using us in the church where we are at now. So the formula for (not really a formula) seeing God's plan in our life is this, x + y = z. Or, desperate times + time = realizing God's will.

In all seriousness, we can't deny that desperate times, struggles, hardships is one of the ways for us to realize that a better result will come afterwards when we see the big picture. But this story I will tell is just amazing (I guess) of how I believe "God's will" worked in my life. Both of these stories are not like my link post above where I realized the result years later. These stories involve desperate times that had their better results in just a matter of days.

Story 1: School

Internships. This is hard, looking for "employers" willing to get you to work for hours and no wage. Well, the hard part is looking for employers. This was a desperate situation for me because I was already delayed a week and we needed to complete 360 working hours during the summer period. Delayed and no employer and company to work for, I asked help from one of my friend in a church I know to help me enter their company. He said yes and informed me about the examination day of their company. So a week later, me and my 5 classmates took the exam. 

Guess what, I was the only one who failed! Depressing. I felt like I was so stupid to fail the exam (alone). Ashamed, because I failed, and can't face my friend who helped me and I (kind of) let him down. I might have been a little annoying when I frequently text him about when can we take the exam. So ashamed, that I failed at something he took the effort and time to arrange for me. Confused, because "Why did I fail?" I know I can pass the test and yet failed. Annoyed, when my classmates always ask after the exam "Why did you fail?" "What did you do wrong?" "Did you answer properly?"

It was a desperate time. I don't know what will happen with my internship, and if I can't find one, it might be too late and I might repeat the subject the next semester. Well, a good thing actually happened after. A day later, I found a travel and tours company needing an IT student for internship. The job consists of video and photo editing and website production. Unlike my 4 classmates who will work clerical and paper jobs, and still needed to go for the screening and interview process, mine was related with my field of study. I started immediately and they started 1 week later. I lost 2 weeks of time, they lost 3. Also, they start work at 7am! I start mine at 9am, a blessing because I am not an early morning person. :)

Story 2: Work

This story is just amazing (I guess) because God manifested His will through coincidence. It is easy to dismiss this story as irrational and just pure coincidence, but please continue reading. You see, this story.. oh wait, let me just say that even if it is a "coincidence," God can really use these kinds of events. I remember one professing "professor" of theology during college that said that the parting of the sea by Moses is false, and him and his people were only able to pass through because of coincidence. What is that event he called coincidence you ask? Low tide! Even if it is due to low tide, and there was a land bridge present, IT IS STILL GOD'S WILL AT WORK. 

Anyway, back to my short story. 
I have this laptop, but technically is my dad's, so I destroyed it. Well, just the screen. It might not look like a desperate situation, but it's my dad's and I might get destroyed too x__x haha. And the repair is expensive. I'm kind of in a tight spot, so I devised a plan to work. The laptop is also used for church, so yeah, it can be kind of desperate, it's still working though (using an external monitor right now).
Anyway, I started to work on my portfolio and plan to send it out with my resume a few days later. So the laptop was destroyed Thursday, October 9. Take note, I have not sent any resumes yet, and never told anyone about the laptop or my plan. 4 days later, my mom's friend asked her if I was working because there's a job offer for someone to replace an employee who plans to resign. Now, I believe this is God's plan for me to work there. 

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side story: This place I work at is a gym, and I'm a tall (for a filipino) and thin guy. So, my aunt joked that "Maybe this is also God's plan for you to earn muscles and be a man" haha, and maybe it is :)
If I have readers here in Baguio City Philippines, message me if you want to visit the gym, hahaha, now I'm just promoting it :)
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When facing trials, struggles, or in a desperate situation, we must not lose focus on Jesus. This will help us realize the big picture better. Also, when we have that "better result" already fulfilled, we must not lose focus on Jesus too. Focus on Jesus through difficult and easy times will generally guide us into God's amazing plan in our lives.

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