Faith grows during storms

There is so much to thank and praise the Lord for! As of Friday morning, Typhoon Glenda was reported on her way out of the Philippines. Albay reported zero casualty, electricity was being restored slowly in certain areas, and the situation considered normal for students to return to schools and workers to work.

There are also many reasons why we need to continue praying to God. We lift to Him the reported 40 dead and their grieving families for His comfort and peace. The countless injured, homeless, hungry due to the typhoon also need His reassuring grace and blessings. Among these are those who had experienced the deadly wrath of Typhoon Yolanda. We pray for their healing and recovery as we pray for kind persons to reach out to assist and support them all over again! We also pray for transparent and speedy accountability of all local and international donations for the typhoon victims!

Aside from deaths and injuries reported, so many fallen trees, flooded areas, agricultural and other damage need to be assessed, cleared, and scheduled for rehabilitation and recovery. Affected families will be more accurately counted soon- and we pray their numbers will not be many. Our people will once again need to push themselves and renew or not lose hope to start all over again.

We also need to pray hard that the next observed Typhoon Henry will not visit our country. We so badly need the respite from typhoons to breathe, cast off our fears, and start anew with hope and faith.

E. A. Kilbourne reminds us in the July 12th reading of the book. Streams in the Desert, that faith grows in storms, that is, faith grows through disturbances in the spiritual atmosphere.

Natural and political storms can leave us devastated and disoriented and often, without hope. Kilbourne reminds us that it is in the atmosphere of conflict and challenges where faith finds fertile soil and grows more rapidly to maturity.

Faith travels through sorrow and joy, suffering and healing, comfort, tears, and smiles, trials and victories, conflicts and triumphs. Faith also maneuvers  through hardships, dangers, beatings, persecutions, misunderstanding, trouble, and distress.

Yet " in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us" (Romans:8:37).

Even during storms, let our faith grow and let that faith believe that God is in control and with Him, there are no storms that will defeat and overcome us forever. Whatever the storms, whether these be natural, political, personal, or spiritual, let us allow our faith to grow.

Our political world is also now facing so much challenges, the latest between P.Noy and the Executive Branch in conflict with the Supreme Court over the issue of the DAP (Disbursement Acceleration Program). Presidents before P.Noy started to use the DAP, many for undisclosed and anomalous projects. Even if P.Noy and his administration claim transparency and accountability of DAP disbursement that they use in good faith, P.Noy and his team need to find constitutionally authorized sources of funds for beneficiaries and projects to be assisted during their term. We all need to pray together that this present political storm can be calmed through faith and honest resolve on everyone's part, especially on the part of the P.Noy government.

We also need to pray for those who died in another Malaysian Airlines crash in Eastern Ukraine. Three Filipinos together with other passengers from Europe and Malaysia have been reported to have been in this plane that is reported to have been hit by a bomb related to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Political storms that affect nations can be carried over and do harm to the innocent, as in the case of the passengers of this ill-fated plane. While another Malaysian Airlines plane is yet to be found, this latest tragic event has added more families grieving for their loved ones. May they hurdle this storm in their lives and may the departed find their eternal rest and peace with the Lord.

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