Faith

It feels good when you were able to let someone unburden their loads to you. That somehow, one way or another, you were able to help them just by listening and comforting them. Today i had a heart to heart talk with one of my close friends. Though i am much, much older, that she even calls me "mommy" but she was already married and has kids. Well, it's a typical everyday woes of a mother and wife trying to keep her family together despite the hardships of reality. But i am glad that she chosed me to confide with and pour out her heart to me. I felt that she trusted me fully. Sometimes, it's hard to absorb other people's problems. It's true that it's draining your energy out. You are like a sponge, sipping their worries out and sucking it into your system. Yes, sometimes it gets to my nerves and it somehow affects me too. But over all, it feels good that a true friend appreciates your presence, and the comfort and help you extended.
Well, since we are of the same faith, and even though these trials we are facing is not new to us, i reminded her of that once again. Particularly i remember Bro.Walls's talk(i'm not sure of the real name,Brooklyn Branch Committee member). It's about how Jesus left us a perfect example of endurance. That even to the brink of his death, even when he was already impaled at the stake, he never gave up his faith with God. Even his flesh was exposed due to what Roman soldiers did to him, he never stop preaching the Kingdom of God and giving hopes to faithful ones. He even promised the "thief" who was also impaled alongside of him, the resurrection in paradise. And we today, though being tried differently, we are expected to have faith also. But we don't have to be as perfect as Christ, but we can endure trials and tribulations. We have to be aware that we are living in the last days of this wicked world, and because of that, satan will do everything and anything to give up our faith and perished together with him and his demons.
It's not easy...it is indeed real hard. The fact that we are only human, and as humans, we tend to err all the time. We are prone to do and think bad rather than do good,. It's a real struggle. The imperfection itself and the temptations that satan put before us. But then...it is still possible. We have to put trust in God, that he's not going to forsake those who have faith in him. We are given fine examples of faith shown by the early christians and patriots. I want to particularly mention Job's faith. Job was put to test by Satan, by killing all his children, take away all his material possessions and up to giving him a dreadful disease. Plus, using his wife and friends to, instead of encouraging him, gives him false advice and encouraged him to curse God! They were pretending to be concerned but actually they will just provoke you to do what is bad. But Job's faith was remarkable. He said that it's not only good things that we received from God, but we should expect bad things too! Although his perception was wrong, it is understandable. Why? Because behind those words and in between the lines, the faith of Job surfaced. That no matter what, he will never curse God or blame Him for the bad things happened to his life. And the result, his blessings were doubled.
So when i tell these things to my troubled friend, she was relieved and thankful to me. But actually, it helped me too. Because although i may not be facing the same kind of problem she has, i have tribulations too. And all of us do. No one is exempted. Satan is very cunning and creative in doing various trials for us. We just have to be aware and never cease in asking strength from God. because we should always remember, God is the most powerful being, and everything is possible with Him...and no way that satan can beat Him.