DAY 21
THERE LIES GOODNESS
IN EVERY HEART
Psalm
27:13-14
As I watch news
programs, I become suspicious of how safe the world is to live in. The news is
jam-packed with reports of hideous crimes happening everyday. It is also
shocking to know that offenders are getting younger and younger. Because of
these alarming events, people are becoming aloof and reserve. They fear that
anytime soon they might be the next victim. To trust is hard. People are cruel.
We endure every day with worries.
But the
psalmist said that there is still goodness in the land of living. There is God
and where God is, there is love and goodness. Personally, I am confident that in
every man’s heart lies goodness. Thanks God for being here.
Ruby Digal
DAY22
ACTION
Proverbs
16:7
My other quite time is entitled
“Decision”. As for me, decisions are nothing unless or until we will make it
into a reality.
Let me share with you my
experience few days ago. I heard
indirectly that some of my co-workers are planning to make a “petition” for me.
Same as before, they protested against me. But I lifted up everything to God.
In my prayer, I asked God to bless them, for the Bible says “Bless those who
persecute you, bless and do not curse, bless those who do bad to you. Do not be
overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).
After my prayer, I made cards for
them. I approached them and still begged God to take away the anger in me. It
was not easy but I did it for God. I wanted them to see God in my life. I want
to love them, understand them and be compassionate to them and for the moment I
want to build friendships with them. Soon, by God’s will and only God knows and
I pray that some of them may become disciples.
Irene
Glinogo
DAY 23
RENEWING STRENGTH
Isaiah
29:29-31
Playing the
role of a leader in life is not that easy at all. I realize this at these times. Being a youth
leader in our barangay takes so much self-denial, understanding and physical
effort. But at the same time, you are playing your responsibility as a
leader. There must be COURAGE - a
strength that I believe we draw eternally. My faith to God is the number one
thing that sustains me to be a leader. Because of Him I am able to ignore my
fears and accept my failure. God is the infinite and best source of strength.
Rowena Digal
DAY 24
THE LAW OF SOWING AND
REAPING
(Taken from the book: BOUNDARIES by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John
Townsend)
Galatians 6:7-8
The law of cause
and effect is a basic law of life. The Bible calls it the Law of Sowing and
Reaping. “You reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will
reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap
eternal life from the Spirit. (Gal. 6:7-8 NRSV).
When God tells
us that we will reap what we sow, He is not punishing us. He is telling us how
things really are. If you smoke cigarettes, you most likely will develop a
smoker’s hack, and you may even get lung cancer. If you overspend, you most
likely will get calls from creditors, and you may even go hungry because you
have no money for food. On the other hand, if you eat right and exercise
regularly, you may suffer from fewer colds and bouts with the flu. If you
budget wisely, you will have money for the bill collectors and for the grocery
store.
Sometimes,
however, people don’t reap what they sow, because someone else steps in and
reaps the consequences for them. If every time you overspent, your mother sent
you money to cover check overdrafts or high credit card balances, you wouldn’t
reap the consequences of your spendthrift ways. Your mother would be protecting
you from the natural consequences: the hounding of creditors or going hungry.
As the mother
in the above example demonstrates, the Law of Sowing and Reaping can be
interrupted. And it is often people who have no boundaries who do the
interrupting. Just as we can interfere with the law of gravity by catching a
glass tumbling off the table, people can interfere by rescuing irresponsible
people. Rescuing a person from the natural consequences of his behavior enables
him to continue in irresponsible behavior. The Law of Sowing and Reaping has
not been repealed. It is still operating. But the doer is not suffering the
consequences; someone else is.
Today we call a
person who continually rescues another person a codependent. In effect,
codependent, boundaryless people “co-sign the note” of life for the
irresponsible person. Then they end up paying the bills – physically,
emotionally, and spiritually – and the spendthrift continues out of control
with no consequences. He continues to be loved, pampered, and treated nicely. Establishing boundaries helps codependent
people stop interrupting the Law of Sowing and Reaping in their loved one’s
life. Boundaries force the person who is doing the sowing to also do the
reaping.
It doesn’t help
just to confront the irresponsible person. A client will often say to me, “But
I do confront Jack. I have tried many times to let him know what I think about
his behavior and that he needs to change.” In reality, my client is only
nagging Jack. Jack will not feel the need to change because his behavior is not
causing him any pain. Confronting an irresponsible person is not painful to
him; only consequences are.
If Jack is
wise, confrontation might change his behavior. But people caught in destructive
patterns are usually not wise. They need to suffer consequences before they
change their behavior. The bible tells us it is worthless to confront foolish
people: “Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he
will love you” (Prov. 9:8)
Codependent
people bring insults and pain onto themselves when they confront irresponsible
people. In reality, they just need to stop interrupting the law of sowing and
reaping in someone’s life.
Meditated by: Raqz Culango
DAY 25
HOW IS MY TRUST IN GOD?
When I am afraid, I will trust in him.
For He hid me in the shelter of his wings.
God was upon me in good and bad times.
Where can I go from your presence?
You showed me the way till now, my Lord.
I can’t think of a life beyond God.
I have seen my life change for the better.
I do not know where to go if I have no God in me.
I have experienced a lot of blessings when I’m unworthy to receive.
He strengthens my weak knees, and made my bones strong
So I can give an encouragement to others
There is no one like you, Oh God.
I will trust in you.
Rosalie Natural
