Have you ever been in a situation where you were extremely stressed about solving your problem? Oftentimes, being independent as I am, I always try to solve my problems by myself. As much as possible, I don’t seek help from others as long as I deem it solvable by myself. I always tell myself, “I can do this.” When we try to solve a problem, we look deeper to understand it and eventually find a solution. However, as I focus more on the problem and try to figure it out, the more I get frustrated.
January is my birth month. I wanted to celebrate my birthday with my family and friends. However, the supposed resources for my budget didn’t materialize because of some unexpected circumstances. As my day gets nearer, the more I get perplexed. I started to get worried. I tried to solve my problem my way but couldn’t seem to find a solution. I poured out my anxieties to God. I couldn’t help but cry out of my helplessness. After praying, I come across some motivational videos which say, “seek ye first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33).” As I watched more videos from that page, I heard a song with lyrics that say,
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full on his wonderful face..
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace…”
My tears were pouring as I realized, how could I be so proud by trying so hard to be self-reliant! God reminded me that instead of focusing on the problem, I need to turn my focus to God. The more you focus on your problems, the more your problem gets magnified, and find yourself overwhelmed. Instead of seeking solutions to your problem, seek God first.
When it dawned upon me, I surrendered to God my problems. God helped me realize that He is in control. That I should not worry if things get out of hand if things didn’t go as planned. God made me understand the deeper meaning of His word when He said, “come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28)”. That night I told God, “Lord, here are my problems, I could not handle it anymore, please take care of it.” I said to myself, I should have surrendered it from the start. After surrendering to God everything, I decided not to care about it anymore because that is how it’s supposed to be. Do not leave any worries for yourself. Give it all to God. Leave it to God. That’s why people say, “Let go and let God.” That night I was able to sleep well. The next morning, lo and behold, a friend of mine messaged me and asked me if I was interested to do a side job. I was amazed at how God has solved my problems. He paved a way for me, and He even gave me more blessings. Blessings overflowed, and so does God’s love and mercy. He gave me more than what I asked for, more than what I expected.
When storms arise, may we not be shaken. May we remember the God, our Father in Heaven who is omniscient and omnipotent. He is our Father who cares for us. I praise God because when I forgot His promises and His instructions, He did not hesitate to remind me that He is my Father who loves me and promised to take care of me.
In this experience, God did not just remind me about His promises, He also taught me how to humble myself in His presence. He taught me that I should put my trust in and on Him, to trust Him completely, with all my heart (Proverbs 3:5-6). That I should not rely on my own strength for I am weak. That I am just a human, a finite being, but I can rest my hope to Him, a God who is also my Father whose wisdom and power are infinite and unmeasurable. A God who can do things that are impossible to man. And, above all, a loving Father who does not want to let His child get astray if he forgets his way.
I AM WITH YOU 