#Babasahin #AtingSuriin #RanasNaRanas:OK LANG Magstruggle at Mabigo

‘Even the best falls down sometimes. Even the wrong word seems to rhyme.’

Humming in your head? Hindi ka nagkakamali na linya siya ng love song. Pero the title of this book certainly agrees, maybe not with the whole song, but with these lines. Christians ought to live excellent lives daw. At may mga salita na hindi daw bagay sa isang kristyano: takot, struggle (specially the internal struggle in doing God’s will) at failure.

Now, I am very blessed that I have a church family walking alongside me and is willing to be my crutches when I feel too crippled to walk forward. On the other hand, I am just relieved that a book like this is written; after hearing stories of Christians whose faith were discounted because they struggled, feared and failed more so in their walk. Nabangit nga sa Introduction ng libro,

‘Ang malaking problema natin ngayon ay paano tayo magsisimulang mag-confess ng ating mga kasalanan at struggles kung hindi man lang natin tinatangap na ang isang Cristiano ay maaring mag-struggle , matakot at mabigo.’

Let's first zero in to the manner the book was written. It was very similar to the first book we checked out(https://stripedjar.wixsite.com/salticket2church/babasahin-1/atingsuriin-ok-lang-maging-malungkot-at-umiyak )- the real life experiences written in such a way a reader can identify with, objective presentation of the scriptures, the very rich research and literature and the interactive processing questions right after every chapter. Personally, I find ‘excellent’ an understatement when it comes to the style the book was written and the ideas were presented; not to mention its relevance to possible readers. Wala naman siguro’ng tao na hindi dumanas ng struggles, fears and failures? The book has so much helpful truth that will help everyone understand the realities of fear, struggle and failure- with psychological and biblical references, real life scenarios and more. But I actually intend to touch counter-intuitive points in each chapter many of us ‘believers will find unusual.

Okay Lang Matakot

Come to think of this! If church is a place of faith, how can one who goes to church be overwhelmed by fear? That premise was backed up by very convincing statements like ‘ The statement -DO NOT BE AFRAID, was mentioned 365 times in the bible. It must really be a very important COMMAND, ergo ang matakot ay kasalanan.’ Bago ka tumango o magturo, hear the book out,

‘ Kapag sinabi ng Diyos na “Huwag kang matakot,”hindi ito kagaya ng ibang utos…Makikita natin na sinabi sila (ito) sa mga sitwasyon na nagangailangan ng assurance ng presensya ng Diyos …Ang mga salitang “Huwag kang matakot” ay katumbas ng mga salitang, “Nandito ako.”

Malaking tulong na maunawaan nating mga kristyano ang konteksto ng mga binabato nating salita...The scriptural references were indicated in this chapter. At kung pag-aaralan natin sila at hindi babasahin lang, we will agree with the writer when he said,

‘Kapag sinabi ng Diyos na, “Huwag kang matakot,” hindi Siya nag-uutos; pinapalakas Niya ang loob ng kanyang bayan. Hindi Niya pinagsasabihan o pinagagalitan ang Kanyang bayan dahil natatakot sila. Alam Niya at nauunawan Niya na matatakot ang Kanyang mga Hinirang.’

Palagay ko lang naman-Kung naiintindihan siguro ito ng marami ; wala sigurong allergy sa scriptures o hindi ganun kalala ang allergy sa scriptures ng marami ko’ng kaibigan.

Okay Lang Mag-struggle

Eto siguro ang narrative sa libro na hindi ganoon kahirap tangapin. Sa totoo lang, many consider struggle as an asset to exercise their strength. Pero while at it, talaga naming sangkatutak na buntong hininga ang magawawa mo. It was acknowledged na iba’t iba ang dahilan ng struggles ng iba’t ibang tao-mahirap, mayaman, kristyano o hindi.

I’ve mentioned how the writer managed to use biblical references within (proper)context. Expounding on the struggle in doing God's will , guess who's the biblical character he used . Si Jesus mismo. Malawak ang sakop ng kaisipan na baby Christian lang dapat nagstra-struggle sa bagay na ito. Pero totoo naman, na JESUS sweated blood in doing the Father's will.Kahit sino ka pa o kahit ano ang pinagdadaanan mo- the LORD has been there though he has not done anything wrong.We all know the ending,syempre.

Alam mo kung ano daw ang wrong sabi ni Pastor Rico? Ang magpaasa!Echoing from Thomas Merton, he wrote;

'True faith is never merely a source of spiritual comfort . Nagbibigay ito ng peace, pero bago ito mangyari may struggle muna. Ang isang faith na umiiwas sa struggle ay sa totoo lang, isang tukso sa totoong faith.'

OK Lang Mabigo

Failure is a sad word. Isn't it? We love winning and hate failing. The baby Christian that I was would often hear this at my first church,'Ang Kristyano ay ulo, hindi buntot...'Quoted from Dueteronomy 28.

I guess I agree with Pastor Rico na , generally as a Church-hindi natin alam kung paano magrespond sa failure. Sa church daw hindi OK mag-fail o mabigo. It was more than encouraging as I gear to the end pages of the book, to remember that in The Lord -there's a place for asking and a space for failures. Having heard brothers and sisters with mental illness who have not received their cure, I am one with the writer dreaming for a church with people whose hearts rejoice for those who rejoice and mourn for this who mourn.

Kristyano na natatakot, nag-strustruggle at nabibigo-normal? Oo, kasi nga

‘Even the best fall down sometimes.

Even the wrong words seem to rhyme.’

But you can tell others that because the LORD JESUS went through everything for you and them

‘Out of the doubt that fills my mind,

I somehow find you and I collide.’

In the end, I pray that we won't just collide. I have hope that we stick together sa iba't iba nating pinagdadaanan-hindi lang sa panalo kundi kahit sa pagkatalo, hindi lang sa lakas ng loob pati sa matinding takot at hindi lang kapag hayahay kundi kahit sa mga pagkakataong buwis buhay, sabi nga sa book-

OK Lang Mag-Struggle at Mabigo.