Suffering for Doing Good

First, I want to say Happy Mother's Day!!! Every year on her birthday, I thank God for creating my mom and every year on Mother's day, I thank God that He made her my mother. There are no words to describe our bond, just like there are no words to describe God's unconditional love for us. I have been married for two years and been in the "real world" for two years, it is not easy to be yourself in this world and it's very hard to be not to be selfish when you are surrounded by things that tempt you to want everything. The older I get, the more I appreciate my mom for being who she is and for being a wonderful and devoted mother to me. Not every mom can do this job as well as she does. God has blessed me with her grace and I hope to be just as wonderful as she is when I become a mother.

This past week and weekend has been the toughest week in a long time. It has been emotionally draining. Everything happened at once. And everybody has been coming to me in confident and asked me not to share things with others. So many things I have to keep to myself has been very hard. It was from work, it was from home, and it was for a friend, etc. Usually it happens ONCE in a while but this time it was all in ONE week. It was very hard because I felt like there was nothing left for me to share or was allowed to share. Also, there are some things that I want to be honest with everyone but then there's a time and place for it too. I'm not going to share the details that has happened for this week. It's hard to do the right things when we don't want to. But I will share with you the lesson that I've learned from this. My husband found this in the Bible and shared this with me.

1 Peter 3:13

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, do not be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscious, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it's God's will to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trail you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted in the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

One night, I had a meltdown and I screamed and cried and said things that should not have been said. I was so grateful that my husband sat with me patiently and was there for me. He comforted me and wanted me to let it all out. I asked for forgiveness because I felt that I did not deserve what people have said or did to me. I should've let it go and responded in the most compassionate way as possible and not think about what I deserve but to think about doing the right thing and let God take care of that individual.

I am following God's plan and sometimes I don't understand it and there are times where I just want to get up and leave. Go fly to another country and just start all over. Sometimes it's not easy being a woman too with all of the unecessary raging hormones that I wish never existed. I want to speak my mind and sometimes that is not always a good thing. It is very important to have an outlet. It is good to be vulnerable, we are not perfect so we have to surrender to God, He is our outlet and He wants us to cast our burdens on Him and then let it go. Once we let it go, we can respond in a compassionate way and do the RIGHT thing.

Isaiah 43: 7

Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory whom I formed and made

With God, we can "turn from evil, do good, seek peace and pursue it" Psalms 34:14 and we will see the glory that He has for us. We don't understand His love unless we go through the tough times and be vulnerable. Sometimes we have to sacrifice for this Glory. It's worth it.

When I found out about Osama Bin Laden, I thought ...good they got him but that's for the Old Testament - an eye for an eye but in the New Testament, we want to forgive and let go. Forgiving can be the hardest thing to do as  Christian for someone who did terrible things to us.  I forgive Osama Bin Laden for what he did to our country and I want to thank God for our soldiers who fought and died to protect us from evil. They made sacrifices that I will always be grateful for. There will always be a war and I wish that our weapons would be love, compassion and peace instead of guns.

My mother wrote this on Facebook and I love this....

1 cross + 3 nails = 4 given. ✝

Sometimes we get what we want and it's not always what we need. Only God knows what we need and He will provide. At the end of this week, I've learned that He always provides and I love Him more and more everyday. 

To the mothers out there - Have a blessed day and thank you for being wonderful.