Forgiveness From The Hearts You Hurt

I talked to a a friend recently, and she told me how many times her heart had been broken by some guys. One of the severe heartbreakers was this guy, whom she’d been dating for 6 years, just to see the guy married another girl. And she wasn’t even told about it until she heard it from his cousin.  She even thought of jumping off the building when she knew about it. Until this time, she still HASN’T FORGIVEN the man. She still thinks that he was so heartless for doing what he did. Though it has passed for more than 10 years ago and the man has 2 kids and she herself is pregnant with her first kid. The last time the guy contacted her – he told her that he wanted to marry her and make her his second wife. One reason is because the guy said that his life has not been good eversince. The girl said that, “Of course. He’s paying for what he did for me.” Then I thought for a while. Have we done something like this before? Have they forgiven us or they are still like this lady, who holds grudges and hoping that we will face our karma for what we did?

In my religion, forgiveness is a very big word. It’s in fact something that you must give before you get. Which means, before you are forgiven, you must first forgive. Think about all the silly things we did in the past. Think about how many hearts we have broken without thinking how much it would hurt them. Did they deserve to be hurt by us, in the first place? Why did we hurt them? Did we do it for fun? Did we even feel guilty? Did we know how much pain we cause them? We can make all the excuse in the world that we were young back then. We were not aware of our own actions. That we used to be selfish and put ourselves above other things, even to the extent of stepping on someone else’s back.  The most common hurt is involving love. Have we learnt anything yet as we grow older?

Imagine how many times we cheated our partner, lied to them, promised them things we didn’t intend to keep, say sweet words we did not mean and give them false hope which then we broke. Until you have become whose heart was broken by somebody, you wouldn’t know how hurt it could be. Sometimes the pain lasted for half of a person’s life span. Betrayal of the heart is very very hurtful. For those who have felt it, Do you still wish to spread the hurt by doing more and more wrong things to others?

DO NOT DO THAT.

What’s past is past. You can say all you want. You can say sorry, you can say you regret, you can say that you have learned from your mistakes but all those MEAN NOTHING until you finally MAKE UP for all the mistakes. How? Start doing it totally the opposite. No more broken promises. No more false hopes. No more empty sweet promises. Those are hard to keep, I know. That’s why that’s the way you can say that you totally learn from your mistake. Until something like that is done, you are forever in the grudges of the people you hurt. Why hurt people? You don’t have a million years to live. You only have less than 100 years. Or even short. In fact, some of us have lived more than half our lives in this world. Do we have tomorrow to make up for our mistakes? We MIGHT NOT have tomorrow. The time is NOW. Love is what that made us. We must not give love a bad name. THINK before you speak or do something. DO not break another heart. Pray for their wellbeing, and hope that with that, they can slowly forgive us sincerely.

Romans 3:4 - 

God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

The Original Matchmaker

 And His name is God. You are born with a purpose. Someone else is made right for you to complete you. Problem is, do you think your match is in your hands or God's? I get this article from another source and I actually relate to it. Entrust God to find a match for you, and these are how you can do it.

1. Embrace your present situation as coming from the very hands of God. Whether the moment is good or bad, praise the Lord. Do not question it but embrace it. God loves you and has a plan for you. God will not allow something to happen to you that won’t benefit the salvation of your soul.

2. Count your blessings. Just as we all have rainy days, we also have sunny days. Do not take your blessings for granted. Every single one comes from above.

3. Prepare your soul by making it clean from venial sins. Just as we take time to do a little extra house cleaning before a special guest arrives, so it is important to do regular cleaning when it comes to matters of the soul. Make room for God in your soul by getting rid of the clutter, including venial sins.

4. Work on your relationship with God. There is always room for improvement. He loves you and thirsts for your love.

5. Never underestimate the power of prayer. Make daily prayer a priority. It could be something as easy as praying the Our Father as you begin your morning commute or five decades of the Holy Rosary or spending some time in front of the Blessed Sacrament before you go home. It may even involve daily Mass. Whichever way you choose to pray, do it daily. Offer your personal intentions up to God.

6. Allow God Almighty to show you the person He has reserved for you if you are being called to the vocation of marriage. Do not get impatient or stressed about it. God’s timing is perfect. God is in control of the things you cannot control. Let Him be your matchmaker. He knows what is best for you. Do your part, but keeping asking God to show you the right mate. He is in the miracle business.

7. Pray for God’s will to take place in your life. Yes, this is the most difficult step. But it is vital. The best thing that we can do for ourselves is to embrace and conform to God’s holy will for us. The reward in heaven is greater than anything we can imagine.

 Can the hands that created you be WRONG? He can't. All weaknesses belong to us. All glory belongs to Him :)

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”   

Matthew 6:33

My Faith And 2013

For a moment, I thought we are already in 2014. Oh man! It's only 2013!! Maybe there's a reason why I typed 2014 instead of 2013 - one is because 2013, as far as April, has been so freaking challenging for me. So so freaking challenging I'm telling you. Logic enough to make me want to skip it right away! OMG I better be kidding. 

Remember that this is the Year of Faith for the Catholic Church. I start to particularly live a life of faith, instead of a life of fear. In every situation, I will evaluate my way. Is this faith? Or fear? So from there I will correct my ways accordingly. And my oh my, I don't know that it's getting tougher. One obstacle after another, which look much harder than I had before. Why, is life throwing me bigger stones now that I want to walk my life in faith? Why life has to do this? Suddenly I become that naive girl again who asks the most innocent question. Too many obstacles that sometimes I wonder if I can withstand the burden. From January to this day, my remark remains the same about 2013. Are you kidding me? Seriously, are you?

Someone told me that things gonna get harder the more faith I have. It could be the work of the unhappy devil who wants me to turn my way against my faith and start offending God again. Even if yes, WHY? I thought that things should be lighter now that I have my faith to help me "carry" this weight. It's from my Faith that I can receive tremendous assistance from God especially during my tough times. Then why things are getting harder? 

How do I fare so far? Does my faith make me emotionally stronger? I still cry so hard when something hurts me. Does that mean I am still fragile? Can't my faith help to strengthen me from inside so I don't cry easily? Looks like it doesn't make me invincible. Even sometimes I do still feel defeated by my situations. In fact, for a number for times this year alone. I didn't remember getting hit by numbness and overpower pain that made me just freeze there, lost and clueless. It happened to me recently! Not terrible enough?

Then I turn to my faith again, and ask this question to it, "What do I get for insisting to live life by you? Do you come with a package of great tribulations that gonna test my survival ability?" Then for one moment, I look at the mirror and ask myself, "To be asking all this, are you sure you even HAVE THAT FAITH? Why are you questioning like you have nothing but doubts?"

Last but not least, I must be fair to my Faith. One thing I can see is that, whenever I fall, I will wake up faster and start walking again. And even when I spend a little longer lying on the ground after I fall, I still be seeing hopes and lights for a better next thing. And how I believe in things are POSSIBLE - like never before that I can't close my eyes to God's power. Which I can't explain to people if they ask me why I believe in something I can't see, I can just tell them because I BELIEVE. This faith gives me "that extra eye" to see beyond the sight. So even how troublesome the journey is for me so far, somehow I know God has already planned a wonderful worthy journey for me at the end of this episode.

What I need to do now is to CONTINUE TO GROW IN FAITH and watch His plan unfolds. Nothing in impossible in Jesus name. Amen.

A Man's Vows

A man’s vows were considered more binding than a woman’s. “If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth” (Num. 30:2). 

 

 

His Rules For Happy Living

I. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS, NOT YOUR TROUBLES:

  A. Other people don't need your troubles, they have enough of their own.

  B. God has promised to bless His children abundantly.

   Matt. 6:33: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, & his righteousness; & all these things shall be added unto you."

   Mal. 3:10: "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, & prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, & pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

   1. We live in the richest & greatest nation in the world.

   2. Even the poorest American is rich in comparison to the rest of the world.

  C. Sure you have your problems -- we all do -- but let's face it, our blessings far outweigh our burdens.

   1. We need to practice the words of the song: "Count Your Many Blessings."

   2. If we will count our blessings, we will be happier & more thankful to our Heavenly Father.
 
 

II. LIVE LIFE ONE DAY AT A TIME:

  A. We can conquer any problem or sin if we will only learn to live life one day at a time! 

   1. Most of our fears for tomorrow never materialize.

   2. We often miss the roses around our feet, because we are looking for thorns down the path.

  B. If people would only learn to live one day at a time, there would be fewer ulcers, & fewer nervous breakdowns.

  C. We have no assurance of living till tomorrow -- so why not take it as it comes -- one day at a time?

   Jas. 4:13-15: "Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, & continue there a year, & buy & sell, & get gain: (14) Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (15) For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, & do this, or that."

   1. If we would only learn this we would be much happier.
 
 

III. LEARN TO BE A GIVER & NOT A GETTER:

  A. If we are not getting out of life what we expect, it may be that we are expecting to always receive & never give.

   Lk. 6:38: "Give, & it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, & shaken together, & running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

   1. Some go through life always expecting to receive from others, but they never give a thing.

   2. Acts 20:35: "I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, & to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."
 
 

IV. PRAY EVERY DAY:

  A. Numerous scriptures could be cited:

   I Thess. 5:17: "Pray without ceasing."

   Phil. 4:6: "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer & supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."

   Col. 4:2: "Continue in prayer...."

  B. Every Christian should reserve time during the day to thank God for his many blessings & to ask for his guidance.

   1. When a husband & wife do not talk or communicate we know that something is wrong -- when God's children do not communicate with him, something is wrong!

  C. Prayer is a vital ingredient in God's Recipe for Happiness.
 
 

V. LEARN TO COUNT:

(This may sound strange at first)

  A. All things have a place in life.

      1. Some things are far more important than others.

      2. We must learn to keep important things in first place.

  B. Many things in life are important, (some more than others).

      1. Our Lord stressed priorities in Matthew 6:33.

      2. Spiritual matters must take priority over material things.

 C. One cannot be truly happy until he learns to count the true value of things -- & put first things first.
 
 

VI. LET NOTHING BOTHER YOU:

  A. So often we allow little things to bother us (often imaginary). We allow little things to rob us of happiness.

   Phil. 4:7: "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts & minds through Christ Jesus."

  B. We (as Christians) of all people have every reason to be at peace with ourselves -- we have peace with God.
 
 

VII. FILL YOUR LIFE WITH GOOD:

  A. As God's children we should fill our minds with good thoughts & ideas.

  Phil. 4:8: Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, & if there be any praise, think on these things."

 B. There should be no room for trashy evil thoughts in the mind of a Christian.
 
 

VIII. LEARN TO LAUGH & LEARN TO CRY:

  A. It has been estimated that over 70% of all physical ills could be overcome if we could learn to laugh & cry.

  B. Many think it's terrible to laugh & joke (there are times when it is inappropriate). 1. Scriptures:

   Proverbs 17:22: "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones."

   Rom. 12:15: "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, & weep with them that weep."

  2. Only when we learn to laugh & cry with one another can we truly be happy & "bear one another's burdens."
 
 

IX. LEARN TO PRACTICE THE HAPPINESS HABIT:

  A. Learn to smile & the world will smile with you.

   Phil. 4:4: "Rejoice in the Lord alway: & again I say, rejoice."

  B. As we already mentioned, we have so much to be happy about.

  C. Let us show the world that Christians are truly happy people!
 
 

X. LEARN TO FEAR NOTHING OR NO ONE:

  A. As Christians we should crowd out our fears with faith in God.

   1. We are weak, but our Father is strong.

   2. Matt. 10:28: "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul & body in hell."

    Phil. 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

  B. With God on our side, what, or who do we have to fear?
 
 

XI. LET GO & LET GOD TAKE OVER:

  A. Too many people want to run their own lives after obeying the gospel.

   1. But we must let God have full control of our lives.

   2. This is the only way to find true peace & happiness.

   3. David spoke of this in Psalm 23.

  B. Until we truly let Christ be Lord (master) of our lives, we will not, we cannot be truly happy!

  C. There can only be one person in the drivers seat.

 

 Conclusion:

 A. Yes, Happiness can be found!!!

  1. Not in drugs, alcohol, or material wealth.

  2. True happiness can be found only in obedience to God's will.

      Only when we submit to God's Word can we have true peace & happiness.

  

 B. Have you found the happiness that God intended for us to know?

  1. Just remember, happiness is a habit -- a by-product of right thinking & living.

Then This Faith Must Continue...

One obstacle after another. Is it possible to keep the faith? Sometimes, it’s just bearable and within your control, but there shall come a time when you are tested to your very limit, whether it’s ur fault or you are just a victim of misfortune. You turn to God humbly in prayer, asking for mercy and guidance, and you find yourself waiting in vain. Still, you refuse to turn your back as what you easily did  the previous years. You have vowed to start living in faith, instead of fear, Yes, you have to show extra durab ility and strength. Especially when u remember all the times when God helped you out during your times of troubles.  U remind yourself how sinful it would be to STILL DOUBT in Him. But then, what if your current difficulty just turns to a dead end? That if it delays another day without solution, it gonna land you in a massive trouble? Do you imagine feeling so tired and dread when you start putting your hands together again in prayer? Would you feel in vain and alone? That all your prayers are not heard?

Then what’s next?

Give up in your faith? Turn a rebel on God? Get mad at Him with ur silent whisper? Just like all the times when you were defeated before? So what about all the prayers and thankfulness and grateful tears that you have shed before? What about your vow to live in Faith? Would you undo all that and start again from zero next time?

These are the issues been playing in my mind when I myself are facing some serious difficulties in life. It’s almost normal. I even had 2 years of bad luck in my life, which I have survived. But looks like troubles wont leave us alone, right? If I give up on my faith, who do I have to turn to for help? Do I have a second God, someone who has a proven track record that He could perform miracles in my life? What, I better not talk about the Devil. Is the Devil anything close to God? In fact, he might be the reasons that I have all the silly thoughts in my head. So, I ask myself, if I have a better God to turn to, maybe it’s only logic that I’m considering. But I DON’T. He’s the Only God that is there since before I was born. 

THEN THIS FAITH MUST CONTINUE. 

Philippians 4:6-8

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.