“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 4:6-7
Beginning the year 2016 has proven to be very challenging for me and my family. While others welcomed the New Year with celebrations and merriments, my family and I were at the hospital earnestly praying for the fast recovery of my dad. I remembered how exhausting it was to daily come visit him in the hospital and see how he was, but I also remembered the indescribable feeling of joy whenever we see him got better day by day. It was a very tough fight for our dad since his age and other various complications were already playing big factors on his health condition; however, we never stopped praying and letting him know how much we love him so much and how much we’d love him to recover fast.
Because of circumstances that only God can control, my dad took his last breath on Sunday, January 17th. It was an emotionally devastating day for our family, where tears flowed like a river, and sadness covered the entire room where my dad was admitted at. The physical, emotional and mental exhaustion did not matter to us anymore. What we experienced that day was way beyond exhaustion. We experienced a loss. And in this world, it is a loss of a lifetime.
As for our immediate family, we didn’t know how to handle a situation like this, since it was our first time (and only time) losing a father. We were confused and disoriented about everything, since our focus and our eyes were only fixed on the idea that our dad has already left us. We did not know what else to do, until the Lord made us realize what it was that we do best in situations like these: PRAY.
Continually, as a family, we prayed and dedicated all our sorrows and griefs to the Lord. We knew to ourselves how inadequate we were upon handling a loss such as this, so we sought after God who is adequate. We laid all our tears and fears to God, and depended on His wills and plans for our family. Throughout the whole funeral and burial process, like a miracle, we did not grieve. We faced the situation with victorious attitudes. We were assured that our dad’s life has fulfilled its purpose here on earth, that’s why we know that he is already with Christ Jesus in heaven – no pain, no sickness, not even a bad case of flu!
It has been 3 months since my dad passed away, and I feel stronger than ever. And I am sure even my family does too, especially my mom! With unceasing prayers and total dependence on the Lord, we can be at peace in all the aspects of our lives. And when we are taken over by the peace which comes from the Lord, not even a loss can stop us from fulfilling our life’s purpose in Christ Jesus’ name!
Be blessed!
