Laganap na Nakawan! It's Not Fun!

Theft is prevalent in Brgy. Dos. We've had numerous incidents last year. I never thought I would be the next victim. The morning I woke up, my important belongings are gone. Nada.

I use to sleep in Ninang Eldie's living room. I always leave the windows and kitchen light open. I didn't have the clue that the thief can barge in through the gate.

This early morning, a swift movement by the main window woke me up. I saw someone going out through the window. Being half awake, I thought it was a cat, but I also suspected that it could be a robber. I disregarded that small suspicion because our gates were always padlocked. Sai's laptop was also sitting under the table. So, I continued my sweet sleep, not knowing that he took my bag containing 4k, important ID's and ATM and my gadgets.

And he left my yellow tumbler near the front door.

When I woke up for good, I picked 'Breaking Free', the title of the book I just bought using my second 'sweldo.' I felt much rested for a whole day's work. When I tried to find my laptop, I looked at the gate---the padlock was gone! We called Capt. Raoul Nitro and the police who queried the details of the incident.

At first I did not feel the sting of losing important belongings. Then lately, I realized that losing your important ID's, essential files (which contained some school, ministry and photography documents) and laptop was a sad experience. I remained silenced for several hours, but God remained my comfort and faith, my assurance. This incident reminded me that if God is your utmost treasure, you can't be shaken.

So let's get serious here, Experiencing loss is part of life. Our belongings, positions, loved ones and even facebook accounts can be taken from us (my twitter account just got hacked this June!). But what will assure us that we will remain intact when that happens? It's having a relationship with God.

I was encouraged by a young friend who put a post on my facebook timelineline. It says:

A woman experienced being robbed by thieves. in her diary, she wrote: "let me be thankful first, because they took my bag and laptop and not my life; second, although they took my all, it was not that much as my faith; and third, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed."

Let us see God's purpose behind every trial and the good things behind the worst situations.

Being in tuned with God's purpose enables us to see what He is teaching us in good and bad situations. Having our hearts set on what God sees as important sustains us in tough times. Indeed, NOTHING can really be taken from us if God is our treasure and not the things of this world. The worst thing in this life is not the loss of belongings, it's the loss of one's soul. For eternity.

What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?

Matthew 16:26.

There is someone who risked losing His life that I won't be lost forever. Though He was rich, He lived poor, rejected and despised. It was as if He was taken advantaged of all the time. But He suffered it all for us because He wanted us to experience everlasting joy in God and not in material possession, worldly definition of success and temporary pleasures of sin.

When living for Him who died for us becomes our priority, bad things become blessings. They can be avenues where He can do His deepest work. Because of His power working in us, we can have the right response when such things happen.

I'm praying that robbery incidents in our area would be solutioned. Let's take care of our belongings!