Celebrate Christmas
It's Christmas time but its a sullen season because I could not make my Christmas shopping for my gifts to friends, family and other people expecting from me. I have not given the Christmas bonuses which my employees should be receiving this season. The reasons to celebrate Christmas has become a challenge.
The year 2011 has been a very trying year of my life. In the years of my existence, it may be the most difficult time ever in my life. I have tread through very difficult situations before but these paled in comparison to the ones I had this year. The effect of bad judgment in my business brought me to a new level of financial crisis. I had clients who delayed their payments and some could not afford to pay me anymore. Its too bad that they want a very beautiful house at the expense of hurting other's finances. Being in the business of construction has become a nightmare! The payables for suppliers piled up and that interests, penalties to loans continue to soar as my account receivables are still uncollected and later become bad debts.
As I get deeper into the sad situation, I turned to the loving embrace of the Lord. I found myself getting involved in church activities and attending worship services during weekdays and Sunday school. As I dedicate most of my time with the Lord, He impressed on me His words in John 16:33 “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world”.
There will be hard times, frustrations and discouragements but in Him there is peace because He already defeated the world. This assurance of peace amidst the chaos made my eyes see the other blessings in my life which have been blocked in my view. I had to focus my view with the positive turn outs in my life instead of my crisis.
I realized that I have been closer to Him during the hard times. I have stronger faith now that I trusted completely to the Lord. When I was having a better financial standing, I hardly find time to go to church and at times I would be very tired to say a prayer before I slept and not have enough time to say one in the morning rush.
In my company, my employees of more than 10 years are still holding on to the company even if at times their salary is delayed. They understand the present situation of our business and that they have in mind that leaving would further embed the company into bigger trouble.
Just recently, a friend in the same business tapped me to handle some of her projects. Another chance of exploring another field of engineering has just opened and that I am going to start with the contract immediately after the Christmas Holidays and the work will last for at least a year. An assured work for my employees for the next year.
These are some of the blessings I tend to oversee because I focused on my misfortunes. Most of the time, I hardly understand God's plan but trusting Him completely gives me the peace of mind. As things slowly falls into place, I remember His words in Matthew 6:33 “Seek first the kingdom of God his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you” and in John 10:10b "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
There may be reasons to wallow in despair but there are more reasons to celebrate because He came to give us life and have it to the full. It's Christmas time, a time to celebrate the true gift of Christmas. The core of Christianity is written in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Despite the hardship I went through over the past year, I treasure the gift of love and the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Let us celebrate because of the promise of eternal life which Christmas has brought us.
