Hope amidst COVID-19

By Engr. Edgar Mana-ay

 

Beginning February last year, all of us were struck by the most devastating experience in memory – the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

From the government down to the last family in the nation, everyone was overwhelmed by the crisis brought about by the coronavirus. In fact, the flavor of the year word used often by the government is OVERWHELMED, coming to describe backlogs in PCR tests to over-flowing quarantine facilities, dwindling government funds and even hospital rooms. Personally, we were all overwhelmed during throughout 2020: loss of job opportunities, loss of income, slowdown in all businesses and other economic repercussions, even cancelled plans for weddings, travels, Christmas parties, family reunions and visits, all because of the coronavirus.

 

While it is forecasted that this pandemic will continue to plague us in 2021, let us rise from the ruins of hardships and HOPE for a better year because God is telling you now not to worry about the future. If you are struggling today, don’t let worry consume you. Trust in the Lord when He says He will provide, believe Him. I know that it isn’t easy to say that, when you have a hungry family and bills to pay, but we can take God’s word and promise. He knows your needs. Appeal to Him and let your requests be known. Watch as He provides in ways that you even didn’t think of. Consider all these hardships and pains as BLESSINGS IN DISGUISE! Of course it’s hard to understand and accept and so I refer you to Laura Story who wrote the words and lyrics of the famous song “BLESSINGS”, a portion of which I quote:

 

   “Cause what if your blessings comes through raindrops. What if your

                     healing comes through tears. What if a thousand sleepless nights

                     are what it takes to know You’re near. What if my greatest

                     disappointments or aching of this life is the revelation of a greater

                     thirst this world can’t satisfy. And what if the trials of this life, the

                     rain, the storms, the hardest nights are your mercies in disguise.”

 

Usually at the beginning of a new year, people have all kinds of expectations about what the year ahead will hold for them. And this is not wrong! God wants His children to have positive expectations. It is His will that we should leave the disappointments of the past behind us, and that we should reach forward to a new future with Him. With the help of God you too can manage to make your dreams come true this year, to embrace a new and brighter future. There is however one condition you must not lose sight of: If you want to be able to take God’s promises as your own, you must be prepared to call on Him, to seek His will and obey Him. Only then will the Lord undertake to answer you and to fulfill your expectations for the new year.

During a series of interviews with juvenile prisoners, the writer Katie Brazelton asked each one of them what three things they would do should they be released that day. She then summarized the answers of the prisoners into these seven principles for a better life. Hopefully this can also serve as our New Year Resolutions.

 

1. LIVE ONE DAY AT A TIME.  Do not run ahead of yourself. If you realize you are beginning to go off track, immediately make a plan to get back on.
2. THINK POSITIVELY.  Avoid negative people and influences. Better yet, find role models and mentors who will help you when things start to become difficult.
3. RELAX. LIVE LIGHT. Easy always does it. Don’t press or strain. Do not take yourself so seriously. Laugh more readily at yourself and with others. Enjoy good, innocent fun.
4. GIVE TO OTHERS much, much more than you expect from them.
5. TAKE ALONG YOUR “UNSEEN PARTNER”.  It is surprising to see the load that He will take off you. God is as much at home in offices, and shops as in Churches. He knows more about your business than you do.
6. TALK TO GOD about every decision so that you can learn to focus on the bigger picture concerning your purpose in life, and do not focus on your own desires all the time.
7. PRAY ABOUT YOUR WORK at every start of the day. You will get some of the best ideas that way.

 

Wishing our readers a very prosperous and an almost trouble free new year from the writer and the staff of The Daily Guardian!