Keep the faith going

October has been an eventful month for our family. We have celebrated birthdays this month, I celebrated my 21st birthday this month. A lot of good things has happened, we are safe, healthy and God is continuously providing for all of our needs. God has been so good to us and it is just so easy to thank Him for all the good things that are happening to us. Because that's how it works, right? It is so easy to thank God when good things are happening to us but what if it doesn't go that way? Can we still thank Him even in bad times?

A lot has happened to us that I almost forgot that it's the end of the month and I can't missed writing an article for my devotion series. And I want to thank God for bringing us into this situation that I will be sharing to you in here.

I have been so open for what was happening in our lives lately. I shared how one of the family members tested positive for Covid19 and how he was admitted to the hospital. I also shared the situation at home that they have to stay on quarantine while I take charge of the business for a while.

I shared the progress of our patient, how his condition is getting better, how it get worst, how we transferred him to another hospital, and sadly, how in the world that in a span of 2 weeks, from being healthy as a horse, his condition leads to death.

Going back to my question above, can we still thank Him even at these times?

The Story of Job

Before I answer my own question, let me just share to you this story from the bible where we can relate our current situation. This must already be familiar to you since this is a story that I have been hearing ever since I was a kid. But still, allow me to give the gist of the story.

Job is a wealthy man, a very prosperous one. But much more to that, he is also a faithful and a righteous man. He's a good man who's living a happy life but Satan used it against God. Satan says to God the Job is only good because he's living a happy life, so to prove Job's faith, God allowed Satan to make him suffer with the condition to not harm him.

Satan then take away Job's livestock, servants, and children. Yet, he remains faithful and he still gives praises to God. He then suffered from a skin disease and his wife tells him to reject God but he refuses.

His friends come over and gave him advise but he told them it was worthless for they are encouraging him to turn his back from God. Even Job cannot understand what is happening, he didn't deserve all that but despite all losses and suffering, he remains faithful to God and he gives Him praises despite the situation.

Job has truly proven his faith so Satan leave him eventually. Later on, all the losses that he have experienced, God doubled his possessions and gave it all back to him.

Praise God for the life of Job!

Going back to my question, it is true that it's hard to thank God during bad times but just like Job, life won't always be good and happy, there are tests, trials, losses and sufferings but God would want us to remain faithful until the end.

Just like how life won't always be happy, it won't always be bad either. But what matters is that regardless of the situation, we still thank God and we still give Him glory and praises.

As for us, there is still a lot to thank God for.

We transferred our patient to a private hospital, he lasted there for about 3 or 4 days and in that short period of time, our hospital bill has gone up to more than PHP400, 000. But praise God because we don't have to pay a single cent at the hospital. Turns out, when the cause of death is a severe case of Covid19 and the hospital bill is less than PHP700, 000, the family of the patient won't have to pay for anything.

So we will be able to get a refund from the initial payment we made while he was still admitted and praise God again for we will also receive a check from the hospital. Our prayers was for God to give us financial provision and this was the answered prayer that he has given us.

Another thing to be thankful for is that even though our loved one's physical body is already dead, we know that he is now with God on His kingdom so praise God for that. No more pain and sufferings, he's now experiencing and enjoying the eternal life that the Lord has given him.

To live is Christ and to die is gain.

We thank God for everything that has happened. It was a tough time but we have to keep the faith going. We are keeping the faith going for we know that God has a purpose for everything and we thank and praise Him for that.

Glory all to God!

I want to take this opportunity to give you all a reminder that life won't always be good, we won't always be happy, not all things will go our way. There will be tough times, we will experience sufferings and losses but whatever happens, in good times and in bad times, let us always thank and praise God. Let us keep the faith going.

We may not understand what is happening but know that God is in control.

With that, let me leave you with this verse from Isaiah 55:8-9NIV saying

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

All glory, praises, and honor belongs to God and Him alone.

Thank you all for reading and once again, let us continue to thank God for everything that is happening in our lives. Thank you, Lord!

#152 - October 31, 2021

Written by: immaryandmerry