Silent Night

Cool "Christmas Season" breeze, calm "noise" of the fans running, peaceful night sky with a considerable amount of stars, the deep gentle sound of my breathing...

Oh, I've missed this one for a long time, and I could not even remember the last time I enjoyed it!

Perhaps the busyness of this life has somehow dragged me into this state where it seems hard for me to recognize those little things I should be grateful for. And I've only realized that again just now when I've chosen to pause for a while, observe my quiet surroundings, and listen to those calming sounds.

It has crossed my mind once again how God has blessed me greatly!

First and foremost, thoughts of Him being faithful has flooded me (despite those times when I was so ungrateful and discontented which eventually caused me to do such selfish destructive actions). He has always showed Himself faithful and just in spite of my unfaithfulness and weakness. Indeed, His Word is true when He said:

2 Timothy 2:11-13 NKJV

"This is a faithful saying: For if we died with  Him,  We shall also live with  Him.  If we endure, We shall also reign with  Him.  If we deny  Him,  He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself."

He died on the cross, for me to live for Him, pleasing Him with a life of daily surrender of all that I am for His glory. (and this is so much easier said than done, with all the lures and temptations of this world)

Another thing to be thankful for? I'm thankful for a wonderful family He has given me! Amidst life's tremendous pressures, my family has been one of my inspirations to stand up again and continue.

Lastly to be thankful for? (for now, since I'm getting sleepy now) It may be true that it is indeed scary not to know the future, but to know that God WHO KNOWS the future is holding my future, wouldn't I be comforted and be grateful?

And I am also grateful that God knows me even far greater than I know myself. He not only knows me, but loves me for who I am. He is very personal.

God loves you too, didn't you know that?

John 15:13 NKJV

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends."

Jesus died for you, for you to live for Him, a daily surrender of your all for His glory.

Posted using my Android phone

Not Famous Yet Important

Let's have a simple Guessing Game!
What do you think all of these items have in common?

• A rivet on the hull of the RMS Titanic
• The steel tyre on a wheel of a train in Eschede, Germany
• A valve in a pesticide plant in Bhopal, India

Your guess: all are industrial components? (Well, let's take it deeper, a more insightful one.)
Perhaps, all are machine parts that were broken? (Hmm.. You're now close to the right answer!)

By the way, for your information, the items above happened to be one of the Deadliest Disasters in the world:

• the sinking of the famous Titanic where more than two-thirds of the 2,224 passengers and crew died; 
• the derailment of a Deutsche Bahn train in Germany where 101 people died;
• the gas leak in an industrial plant in India where an approximately 8,000 died within just two weeks and an additional of 8,000 or more also died from diseases caused by these poisonous gases.

Still don't know what's common among all of them?

The rivet, the steel wheel tyre, and the valve are all "just plain and common" materials, yet so important that a negligence, either consciously or unconsciously, on the part of a Maintenance Officer would mean a catastrophic disaster! Furthermore, these insignificant materials only caught so much attention from the public right after when their respective incidents had already occurred.

Recently, the Philippines has witnessed losing a "not-so-famous" hero. The former Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo died in a plane that crashed off the coast of Masbate on the afternoon of August 18, 2012.

As Wikipedia narrates:

In 1988, Robredo was elected mayor of Naga City at age 29, the youngest mayor in Philippine history. His three terms as mayor ended on June 30, 1998. He was again elected as City Mayor in 2001 and finished his second three terms on June 30, 2010. He served for a total of nineteen (19) years as Naga City Mayor before being appointed on July 9, 2010 as Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Goverment (DILG). Robredo was able to transform Naga City from being dull and lethargic to being one of the "Most Improved Cities in Asia," as cited by Asiaweek Magazine in 1999.

During his time in city hall, Robredo was credited for "dramatically improved stakeholdership and people participation in governance, in the process restoring Naga to its preeminent position as premier city of the Bicol Region." In 1995, in recognition of his skills and competence as a leader and development manager, Robredo was elected President of the League of Cities of the Philippines, the national association of city mayors. Robredo also chairs the Metro Naga Development Council." He served as chairman of the Regional Development Council, the regional planning and coordinative body of Bicol's six provinces and seven cities, from 1992 to 1998.

Honestly, before the incident, the name "Jesse Robredo" does not ring a bell for me. Ironically, only after his tragic death that his great and humble works were recognized. Imagine, the youngest mayor at the age of 29! Also, I was quite amazed to know that a simple guy could get so much approval from his neighborhood that he was elected as mayor and served for a total of six terms!

Wikipedia also narrates:

In recognition of his achievements as Naga City mayor, Robredo was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service in 2000, the first Filipino mayor so honored.

Indeed, the whole nation is grieving because we lost a very important person.
Kudos to you Secretary Jesse Robredo for a job well done, an exemplary servant leader!

Actually, the Bible also has an example of an important person yet not famous at all!

Okay, have you heard of the name "King David"? (Well.. Of course, he is a very famous character, the one who defeated the giant Goliath with a pebble and a sling shot!)

Hmm.. How about the name "Ittai, the Gittite"? (Duh.. Who is that?)

Let me give you a brief background of what's happening at that time.

David was the king of Israel by that time. However, his son - Absalom, deceitfully plotted a scheme to steal the hearts of the men of Israel. He was successful that he managed to commit a somewhat coup d'état. David was technically being overthrown and needed to escape as soon as possible.

2 Samuel 15:13-23 narrates the story:

Now a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”

So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

And the king’s servants said to the king, “We are your servants, ready to do whatever my lord the king commands.” Then the king went out with all his household after him. But the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house. And the king went out with all the people after him, and stopped at the outskirts. Then all his servants passed before him; and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, passed before the king.

Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you also going with us? Return and remain with the king. For you are a foreigner and also an exile from your own place. In fact, you came only yesterday. Should I make you wander up and down with us today, since I go I know not where? Return, and take your brethren back. Mercy and truth be with you.”

But Ittai answered the king and said, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.”

So David said to Ittai, “Go, and cross over.” Then Ittai the Gittite and all his men and all the little ones who were with him crossed over. And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people crossed over. The king himself also crossed over the Brook Kidron, and all the people crossed over toward the way of the wilderness.

Ittai has all the reasons not to come with David at all! Being with David would mean danger to him and his family, and they would also be branded as rebels against the dominant authority. That would mean they have to always run for their own lives just to escape the eyes of Absalom!

These are some of the reasons Ittai should have used:

• He is a foreigner of the land - it means he is "safe" from Absalom's attention;
• He just arrived a day before the coup - it means he really is not involved at any party;
• He has a family - it means they would be "safer" if they would stay.

Ironically, Ittai did not use any of these, but decided to go with David instead!

What do you think is his reason for this?

Verse 21 says:

But Ittai answered the king and said, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.”

Ittai might have heard and seen long before that the Lord has been guiding David. In fact, the Bible has called David "the man after God's own heart." What great faith he has!

Sometimes, it seems life indeed is unfair. Why do "good" people die early? Or Why do these tragic events happen on good people? But one thing is for sure, God knows what's best! He is sovereign, yet loving.

As Isaiah 55:8-9 says:

“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.

Moving on with our story, you would further read that a "common" Ittai would be one of the three Mighty Captains of David leading one-third of the army! 2 Samuel 18:1-2 says:

And David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. Then David sent out one third of the people under the hand of Joab, one third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite.

You might be in a situation where you feel so insignificant like the rivet, like the steel tyre, like the valve, or perhaps like Secretary Robredo when he was still alive and serving, or just like Ittai the Gittite...

Colossians 3:23 encourages us:

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

Simple Time Management Tips

 "Take Time"
(Author Unknown)

Take time to think – thoughts are the source of power.
Take time to play – play is the secret of perpetual youth.
Take time to read – reading is the fountain of wisdom.
Take time to pray – prayer can be a rock of strength in time of need.
Take time to love – loving is what makes living worthwhile.
Take time to be friendly – friendships give life a delicious flavor.
Take time to laugh – laughter is the music of the soul.
Take time to give – sharing brings joy to your heart.
Take time to work – work is the price of success.
Take time to dream – dreams show you what is possible.

• " What does it really mean to have a balanced life?" 
• "How can I manage my time more effectively?"
• "Why is it that it seems 24 hours is not enough for me to complete everything that I need to accomplish?"
• "How can I enjoy every moment of my life, it seems my work is eating me up completely?"

Have you been asking yourself of these questions too?

For the students, I think this is more relevant to them since today is the start of another school year, School Year 2012-2013! Homework, various extra-curricular activities, and sleep-depraving theses and projects - these would all be a student's usual daily companions! How can one possibly manage all these tasks in an effective manner?

Hmm.. But don't worry, it is not just for the "kids", I believe many of the adults nowadays have been enslaving themselves through hectic work hours, that it seems each day really is an unpleasant one!

Maloi Malibiran-Salumbides, a Radio Announcer of 702 DZAS (FEBC Philippines), wrote in her article in "Protips" on May 8, 2012 these Simple Time Management Tips.

1. Plan your day by setting realistic goals of things that you need to accomplish. Be realistic, all of us only have 24 hours in a day. 6 to 8 hours will be spent on sleeping, another 8 or more hours for working and the rest to nurture yourself and relationships with God, family and others. Plan how you will spend the remaining 8 hours of your day. Otherwise, other people will plan it for you.

2. Know your priorities and spend substantial time on them. Without priorities you will waste a lot of time doing that which is not important. Without priorities it is likely that you will spend a lot of time on the non-essentials. Take a personal retreat and ask yourself and ask God to help you determine your priorities. Knowing what is essential and important will guide you in managing your time better.

3. Learn to say no to activities, invitations and opportunities that will require much of your time but do not move you closer to your life goals. It takes great discipline and courage to be able to say "No" to distractions. But if you value your time, you cannot afford to say "yes" to everything.

4. Delegate tasks to capable others. Many are overworked and over-stretched because we don’t trust other enough to be able to delegate responsibilities to them. Your time is precious, it is limited you have to realize that you cannot do everything by yourself. To be effective in managing your time and work, learn to delegate.

I hope these simple tips on Time Management would help you today my friend!

Quoting Ms. Maloi:

 Let's use our time wisely. Be a blessing in the workplace today!

And as Ecclesiastes 3:1 says:

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

The Steps To Success

Year 2011 is quickly fading now, and 2012 is almost just around the corner! It is time to leave behind the past, and have a sense of "starting a new beginning" in whatever endeavor you might be in. This might not necessarily mean stopping from accomplishing the great works you have already started, but rather have a fresh new sets of motivation and inspiration to continue on your pursuit.

On this very early morning, it was a blessing to ponder on God's Word.
Don't you know that the Bible has everything you need to prepare you for the upcoming new year?

Let me share you some tips and guidelines from the Bible that would surely help you have that sense of accomplishment, and of course, success in whatever you do!

Four Steps to Success

(1) "I'm not going to worry about that."
Ask yourself, can worry really help you accomplish things? Absolutely not! In fact, worrying is bad for your health!

Here's a proof!

Is worrying bad for your heart? A prospective study of worry and coronary heart disease in the Normative Aging Study.

Abstract
BACKGROUND:

Worry is an important component of anxiety, which recent work suggests is related to increased incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD). Chronic worry has also been associated with decreased heart rate variability. We hypothesized that high levels of worry may increase CHD risk.

METHOD AND RESULTS:
We examined prospectively the relationship of worry with CHD incidence in the Normative Aging Study, an ongoing cohort of older men. In 1975, 1759 men free of diagnosed CHD completed a Worries Scale, indicating the extent to which they worried about each of five worry domains: social conditions, health, financial, self-definition, and aging. During 20 years of follow-up, 323 cases of incident CHD occurred: 113 cases of nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI); 86 cases of fatal CHD; and 124 cases of angina pectoris. Worry about social conditions was the domain most strongly associated with incident CHD. Compared with men reporting the lowest levels of social conditions worry, men reporting the highest levels had multivariate adjusted relative risks of 2.41 (95% CI, 1.40 to 4.13) for nonfatal MI and 1.48 (95% CI, 0.99 to 2.20) for total CHD (nonfatal MI and fatal CHD). A dose-response relation was found between level of worry and both nonfatal MI (P for trend, .002) and total CHD (P for trend, .04).

CONCLUSIONS:
These results suggest that high levels of worry in specific domains may increase the risk of CHD in older men.

Article Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9054737

And the Bible's remedy for that?

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." ~Philippians 4:4-7

Notice one thing, the Bible does not just give the remedy, but the also the benefit - the peace that will guide your heart and your mind! The truth is, God knows you and your circumstances. He knows your needs, He understands your feelings, and your future is already on His hands. Why carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, when you can entrust these burdens to God?

(2) "I'm not going to try to figure that out."
This does not mean that you would just sit comfortably on your sofa, and sleep the whole day lazily because you know you have a God! This is a grave misunderstanding of the phrase "Don't worry, God knows what you need and He will help you." Remember, God hates the lazy!

I went by the field of the lazy man,
And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;
And there it was, all overgrown with thorns;
Its surface was covered with nettles;
Its stone wall was broken down.
When I saw it, I considered it well;
I looked on it and received instruction:

A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest;
So shall your poverty come like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man.
~Proverbs 24:30-34

 What this means is that before you start in whatever plans you have, consult it to God first. The truth is, God's ways are far better than ours!

For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
~Isaiah 55:8-9

 (3) "I'm not going to try to make something happen."
Again, this does not mean being lazy! Quoting J. M Farro in the book "Life on Purpose for Men":

"But we'd be wise to remember that getting ahead of God and trying to make our own way can not only delay our blessings, but keep us from receiving God's best. The fact is that we are more likely to make mistakes when we fail to wait on God, than when we fail to move on His cue."

 Isaiah 30:18 says:

Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you;
And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you.
For the LORD is a God of justice;
Blessed are all those who wait for Him.

(4) "I'm going to trust God." 
This is the most important step amongst the four. If we're trusting God, we would not worry about anything else. If we're trusting God, we would consult God first before you make your decisions. And if we're trusting God, we're going to wait for God's perfect time!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths. 
~Proverbs 3:5-6

May you ponder on these things today, my friend.

Mixed Emotions On a Christmas Season

As I remember it right, it was also on a December. It was one cool December night, just a few days more before the year 2000. There I was, a 14-year-old boy lying on my bed, so quiet and so still. Back then, it seemed to me that the night was so peaceful and so calm.

Reminiscing, I was surprised to remember that even as young as 14, thoughts of the future had troubled my heart so much at that time. Vaguely in my memory, I remember I was crying my heart out at that night for the fear of the coming "Millennium Bug". This train of thoughts haunted me that night:

• What if ALL of the computers shutdown because of the "Y2K" or "Millennium Bug", then ALL computer systems (including airport system, factories, malls, etc.) will shutdown too...
• What if businesses shutdown, then life will be so miserable...
• What if life becomes so miserable, then my life will be ended so early...
• What if my life ends abruptly, then I will not be able to meet my future wife...
• What if I and my wife will not meet, then we will not have children...
• What if we won't have any child, then those happy moments having picnics on the park will not happen...

In the midst of the calmness of the night, I remember crying so bitterly that I couldn't remember if my "silent cry" had not become silent at all... (I don't normally cry loud though.)


I remember saying this prayer amidst my cry, "Lord, please allow me to live after this Y2K thing..."


It is now December 23, on the year 2011, almost 11 years have past. Looking back, I now remember those happy times of growing up with my supportive family, and even memories of my "childhood crushes" have been bombarding me too! Along with those great and enjoyable memories, I also remember those ugly decisions that I made, people that I might have hurt because of my insensitivity, and those things I have done of which I am not proud of...


Above all these mixed emotions, a feeling of great contentment has filled my heart.

God really is the BEST! Of all those years, I could not remember even just one moment when He has abandoned me - even on those times when I was so stubborn...


I could say now that I could not ask for anything more...
The fact that Jesus has been my ever Best Friend, my Savior, my Lord, my Father (especially during those times when my dad was abroad), my Healer when I was hurt, my ever-reliable Companion on my darkest times....

I could not ask for more - my job, my income, my family, my friends, these are all mere bonuses!

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 says:
"I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil-this is the gift of God."

Friend, your life is a gift from God!

Proverbs 3:5-6 says:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

When The Motivation Is Low

Have you ever experienced this kind of scenario before:

Almost out of the sudden you've felt so pumped up when you've started a new idea, and then out of the sudden, you've felt like giving up and you've tossed away everything you've worked hard for because you've lost your motivation?

Or perhaps you were so energetic for a couple of months because you were so inspired by someone that every phrase that comes out of your mouth is so romantic, and then out of the sudden, it seems that all of your energies have hit rock bottom because you were being neglected by that same person?

Or something like this, you were so passionate to learn how to play the violin that you even bought one, but suddenly the drive to acquire the skills were slowly fading that being an excellent violinist was now just an imagination? 

Then, what should you do when the time comes when the motivation to continue and the drive to complete the good work you've started have become so low?

What should you do when the passion that you've once had has been slowly fading away?

"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going." ~Jim Ryun

 On an article titled: "Five Things You Need to Know About Effective Habit Change", Ian Newby-Clark, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada who studies habit change describes the practical ways to have an effective habit change.

1. Work on One Habit at a Time.
      If you work on changing more than one habit at a time you run a serious risk of overwhelming yourself and changing no habits at all.

One example is a person who wants to exercise more daily, and yet he wants to accomplish more at work too! So, he's going to fill his already busy schedule with extra regular exercise hours. Hmm.. but, does he know that this might cut his sleeping hours greatly too?

2. Create a Plan and Write it Down.
     It’s in our nature to want to do better. We almost always want to do better. But wanting isn’t enough. You must make a plan. Write it down. Be as specific as possible.

It is not just enough to say to yourself, "I'm going to do better next time!" I think everyone wants that too, don't you think? What's critical here are the next steps you should make in order to be better.

If you want to exercise regularly, and yet you want to accomplish more at work, what are the steps that you should make? Will you minimize your "Facebook" times to accommodate your exercise hours? Will you go to the gym at a regular Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule? Will you be ready for "Overtimes" at work in order to complete your tasks for that day? Write them down.

3. Refine Your Plan.
     Now you need to refine your plan. In particular, you need to be realistic. Put your plan in a drawer for a day or so and come back to it with fresh eyes. Look at each sentence and ask yourself, “Really? I can do that?” Find someone who will give you an honest opinion. To avoid disappointment and discouragement, cast a critical eye on your plan and make sure that it is truly realistic.

Sometimes, when we plan, we plan for the "best-case scenario". I think one must review his plans and adapt them to the "real-case scenario".

If having a regular exercise on a weekend (your rest day) is on your plans, will you really accomplish it even if your friends would ask you to go watch a movie with them?

4. Make Mini-Plans. 
     You’ve worked on your plan and it is much improved. You’ve taken out all of the bits about you leaping tall buildings in a single bound and cooking a three course meal at the same time. But having a good plan isn’t enough. You have to make mini-plans (research psychologists call them ‘implementation intentions’).

Mini-plans are very helpful. For example, if your regular exercise is on an M-W-F, you might have these in your mini-plans: "When the alarm clock goes off at 3:00 PM, I will shower immediately, get dressed quickly, have my meal, and must be at the gym before 4:30 PM. Then, have my workout for 1 and a half hours, shower quickly, and be at work before 8:00 PM." (That is, if your working schedule is on a graveyard one: starts at 8:00 PM and onwards...)

5. Repeat! Repeat! Repeat!
     Habits are behaviors that we do over and over again. They become almost automatic. How much thought did you put into your last habitual behavior? Not much, right? It kind of happened just by itself. Now that you have your refined plan and you have your mini-plans, it is time to make your new habit almost automatic. And the only way to do it is by repeating and repeating. And repeating. That’s because psychologists have shown that repeating a behavior over and over again means that it happens automatically or almost automatically. So, the great thing about repeating the behavior is that, eventually, you won’t really have to make yourself repeat it. The new behavior will just kind of happen on its own.

There you go! Repeat what you have just started.

However, if #5 is still hard for you, I think there is somehow a problem with the way you are thinking right now. How come?

Let me explain it through this illustration:

• Do you THINK a regular exercise CAN really help you attain that "dream body", or you would just do it because science says so?
• Do you THINK accomplishing more at work CAN really make you an effective employee, or you were just completing your tasks for the sake of a "Completed Task" status to the point that the quality of your work were already compromised?

 I think I have heard this from John C. Maxwell:

When you change your THINKING, you change your BELIEFS...
When you change your BELIEFS, you change your EXPECTATIONS...
When you change your EXPECTATIONS, you change your ATTITUDE...
When you change your ATTITUDE, you change your ACTIONS...
When you change your ACTIONS, you change your HABITS...
When you change your HABITS, you change your CHARACTER...

 In order to have a GREAT HABIT, you must begin first from a GREAT way of THINKING!

Actually, the Bible has something to say about how one should think:

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." ~Romans 12:2

And there is this GOOD NEWS here - a GREAT CHARACTER will eventually develop into a GREAT CHARACTER! But first, you must change the way you think...


Ask God to lead you before making your decisions today!


As the author of "The Sherlock Holmes" Novel says:

"It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important." ~Arthur Conan Doyle

Start today, my friend! And make it a habit...

Article Source: http://zenhabits.net/five-things-you-need-to-know-about-effective-habit-change/ 

When Battered By Trials

Lead Me Lord
by Gary Valenciano


Lead me Lord, lead me by the hand
And make me face the rising sun
Comfort me through all the pain
That life may bring
There's no other hope
That I can lean upon

Chorus:
Lead me Lord
Lead me all my life
Walk by me, walk by me across
The lonely road that I may face
Take my arms and let your hand
Show me the way
Show the way to live inside your heart
All my days, all my life

Refrain:
You are my light
You're the lamp upon my feet
All the time my Lord
I need You there
You are my light
I (just) cannot live alone
Let me stay
By Your guiding love
All through my life
 
Repeat Chorus.
Repeat Refrain.

You are my light
You're the lamp upon my feet
All the time my Lord
I need You there
You are my light
I (just) cannot live alone
Let me stay
By Your guiding love
All through my life
All through my days
Lead me, Oh Lord
Lead me Lord

 There are times when we feel so strong. These are the times when it seems everything falls according to our plans. These are also the times when we think of ourselves as brave warriors ready to face any kind of battle, come what may.

I remember when I was a young Christian back then, when I have not experienced yet such great temptations, enormous defeats, multitude of unseen inner-self battles, and a number of painful betrayals. As young as I was, I thought life was so easy.

On the other hand, life is not so "pleasurable" as it seemed. There are times when God would let you feel pain, in order to remind you that you can always call upon Him for He is always at your side. There are times when you would encounter hurtful defeats, in order to remind you that the help comes from the Lord - the maker of heaven and earth. There are times when you would feel that you were abandoned and betrayed, in order for you not to build your world around people (or a person), instead build your world around God who knows you better than you know yourself - and He understands how you feel. There are times when all is left is to entrust everything up to God, in order to remind you not to lean on your own understanding, instead let go and let God help you. There are times when you experience a death of a loved one, in order to remind you that life is temporary and is fleeting so fast.

My friend, the Bible says:

The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
   and his ears are attentive to their cry;
but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
   to blot out their name from the earth.

 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
   he delivers them from all their troubles.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
   and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 
~Psalm 34:15-18

Let God lead you, especially when times come that you don't understand at all what's happening around you, and inside you. God will hear you, for He is a loving and just God.