Surprising Elements

Written last July 27, 2013 for the Philippine Student Alliance  Lay Movement (PSALM) Newsletter Publication, Alumni Section.

If you’re waiting on God to fill in all the shading of your picture, you will take the first step in obeying His will. You must be prepared to trust His plan, knowing that it will be full of surprises. Surprises are always part of God’s leading. 

I admit, it was really not easy in adjusting from college life to another higher level. Everything seems to be different. It took probably quite a long time before I truly adjusted. Though the positive outlook, high expectations, and strong excitements were ahead of me, fears and loneliness bothered me a lot. In one of my prayers at that time I told God, “What’s next Lord after Iligan? If it’s not the right time for Japan, then where will I be?” But in my times of obscurity, part of the solution is to pursue the benefits of solitude and silence. I focused on slowing down and refilling my soul with the deep things of the Lord. So then, God’s discernment and leading followed. I said to Him, “Okay Lord, I’ll go to Cebu!” I moved to Cebu all alone, holding with just one thing, my faith to Him. Of course, it’s really never that easy; new place, new people, new work, new challenges. Yet enduring a painful journey can be done a lot more easily if you embrace faith as your traveling companion. Most of all, God’s amazing grace provided that sort of new beginning. 

I was then immediately accepted in a call center job. I thought the work will be easier for me. I was wrong. One of the greatest challenges of a Christian walk is to survive with the people who challenge your faith every day. The people around me were truly different. I was even bullied by my teammates that “Probinsyana kayo ni si Pemma!” Why? For them, I’m so different. They questioned why I wouldn’t drink alcoholic wines and why I don’t have a guy relationship especially that I already graduated from college. Yes, they somehow noticed my differences but they looked at it in a negative perspective. I then somehow understood, because they’re not Christians. During those times, I felt uncomfortable and very uneasy. I missed being with a Christian family. I was like doing the same routine everyday: to sleep in the morning and to work at night. I attended Sunday Services in a church just across the road where I’m staying. Yeah, I’m comforted, renewed, and filled by the Holy Spirit every after service. But there’s something that I was looking for. I want to exercise my spiritual gift, the gift of service. 

So, I prayed and prayed for a ministry. I then discovered that the first ministry that God has given me is to minister my workmates. Right away, I invited them to church. Most of them refused, few only responded. I realized that part of my integration stage here in Cebu is to deal with those kinds of people that I'd never dealt before. I even wrote in my devotional notebook one of those days the verse found in John 15:2, “God cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bears fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” Yes, I've gone through the painful pruning process lately. He works at cutting off those behaviors that opposed to Christ-likeness. Then He prunes my weaknesses and let me discover the ways to turn those into strengths. It’s something like God told me, “I know the ways you take. I know why. I know how long you’ll be there and I know what will be the end result.” It’s a tough journey but I was able to say, “Now Lord, I know why I’m here!” 

I actually studied the life of Paul when I started living in Cebu. I discovered his journey from one place to another, from one church to the other just to proclaim God’s glory and the Gospel of grace. Blessings in disguise on my part followed. I was appointed to be the secretary of the PSALM Alumni-Cebu even though I’m originally from PSALM Iligan. I never refused to accept the responsibility. It’s another ministry for me to step up and to be used by Him to a higher level. Of course, PSALM will always be PSALM in my heart. I have to pay back what I’ve learned from this ministry. I came to grow in the Lord through PSALM and still will continue to grow more in the Lord through PSALM. I’m even thankful for the great success when I spoke to Southwestern University PSALM students last July 18. Honestly, that was one of the very unforgettable experiences I had here in Cebu City. After the event, many students came to me and said, “Thank you Ate Pemma, blessed kaayo ko…” I actually spoke about John 15, “The Vine and The Branches.” The feeling of overwhelming satisfaction of touching others’ lives is really a big fulfillment. But I don’t take the glory and wear the crown. It’s still all because of the grace of God. It is Him who was at work. 

Another important realization: All the way through ministries, people leave. But one surprising element is that new people come. I then moved to another church as part of God’s leading to me. I moved to CCF Cebu. I’ve met another accountability group or as we call it D-Group. I’ve met new spiritual sisters in Christ in whom we share our journeys in life, our ups and downs and our prayers of faith. I also committed to be part of the Ushering ministry where I also exercise my spiritual gift of service. Real contentment of joy is in my heart. J-esus first, O-thers next, Y-ou last. 

God’s perfect timing is always synchronized with His will. One of the latest surprising elements I received from Him is the QQ English Company. Just last July 22, I started the training for me to teach English to the Japanese students: from kids to adults. I just can’t contain the joy I have now in my heart. Seeing their faces when I go to work gives me more the burden and the greater passion to minister to those kinds of people. During my teaching time, I will also enroll in a review for teaching licensure examination for me to teach abroad. It’s for free, so I don’t have to pay for the tuition fee. They will also send teachers to Japan with at least one year of teaching experience in the company. Hmmm, God is indeed working behind the scenes. He is busy at work within our lives for us to discover His will and for us to obey. 

Lastly, just over few weeks already. I asked and prayed of how long will I be staying in the city before moving out. He then brought me to Acts 18:9-11 where I’m actually now in the book of Acts. It’s when the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision one night and said, “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack you and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God. Probably it could be an answer to my prayer or it could also be not. But I don’t know at all. All I know is that He has these surprising plans within each of us. All we have to do is to listen to Him when He speaks. 

Thus, when we abide in Christ we are at the center of God’s will. It is impossible to abide in Christ and be outside of His will. When we abide in Him, He opens our spiritual eyes to see where He is working. He doesn’t want us to bring to Him our great plans, and goals and decisions and ask Him to bless them. He wants us to seek His face and allow Him to guide us in doing what He chooses for us to do. When our hearts are right with Him, He will reveal to us where He is at work. Our God is a God full of surprising elements that are perfectly according to His own timing. To God be all the glory!!!