One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the travel of the two disciples of Jesus to Emmaus because it teaches a great lesson for especially when we are disappointed when we feel cheated on when we are discouraged.
You will stand up from where you fall.
We often hear these words. Stand up where you stumble or fall.
It means to me, “Do not lose hope”. But it is easy as it seems. Easier said than done.
It is hard to accept when the only person you entrust your whole life, your time, your money, your dreams, your hopes, and ideals; when you bet your all to that person and then suddenly, “Kaboom!”, all are gone!
You realize it is just a scam. You seem cheated. You are tricked. You are just played on. Oh, it is so tough to accept. It is like the whole heaven and earth are on your shoulders.
Counterfeit. Fake. Bogus.
In Filipino, we call these people “PAASA.”
It’s so disappointing. False alarm. It’s the same feeling during examinations, you study very hard, review all your notes and all the lessons told by your teacher that will come out of the exam, you asked the intercession of all the saints, and yet, when the exams came, nothing from where you review is on it. And you failed, after all the efforts and hard work!
Failed. Defeated. Unsuccessful.
And what do we do after these disappointments?
We leave. We escape. We make a detour. We back out.
Just like the two disciples of Jesus who left Jerusalem after he was crucified on the cross. They left in a hurry in fear and downtrodden and went to Emmaus. Jerusalem is in chaos and there’s much trauma there. The one they think will save them; the one they think will free them; the one they think will defend them; is now dead. And all his followers, disciples, and supporters are being caught. Jesus’s apostles ran away, others denied him, how much more, them, just ordinary disciples. They need to flee away from Jerusalem to Emmaus.
In-denial. Cover up. Hide and hide.
Isn’t it exhausting and hard?
But wait, there are these words:
Try Again. Go back again. Look back again. Visit again.
And we may not realize, that one person who disappoints us, is the very same person that will be with us in our disappointing and lowest moments. In our depressed moments, he will be here for us. In our losing moments, he will be cheering for us. In our broken moments, he will be the one to make us whole.
That person is Jesus, the God who is Emmanuel. The God with us.
He will surely come back for us. He will journey with us. He will listen to us. He will tell stories to us.
He will help us reminisce the events that we avoid remembering and he will open our eyes so that we can understand why things need to happen. He will make our hearts ablaze and burn. And then, later on, we will realize that everything happens for a reason. And all that is, is a preparation for greater things ahead.
But for this to happen, we need to remember the painful memories; we need to go back to the place that we evade. You need to return to the place where you are hurt and face it.
Lastly, my friends, remember that hurts, disappointments, sickness, failures, loses and even death is not the end.
There are successes, achievements, recognitions, and victories in the end. But, it depends on how you will achieve it. It depends when you trust again.
Just like the two disciples, believe that you are not alone. “Lord, guide me on the right path. Be with me in this journey.”
Stand up from where you fall and when you fall take that opportunity to be humble and pray and ask help from God and from someone to lift you.
P.S: What are your Jerusalems in life (the place of your disappointments, fears…) What are your Emmaus (your escape, your haven). And who is with you in all this?