God's Light

Last night, I read the one of the most beautiful testimonies from a friend who is like a younger sister to me. To some extent, I had been sharing with her my experiences with God. She had told me in return that she believed in God, and His miracles. But, I didn't learn the reason until yesterday why.

She had been sickly as a growing child, who frequented hospitals in the Philippines. Her mother had to leave her, when she was six, in order to make a living. So, she was left in her aunts' care, and even nannies, when her aunts were in school. She admitted to not having much financially, therefore, her illness had been extremely burdensome. At one ocassion, she would be diagnosed with a certain kind of malady, only to find in the next rush visit that it was not the right diagnosis at all. And in the next hospital visit, her current diagnosis still proved inaccurate. That went on. Hours and hours of drive to the hospital and back. IV medications. Until it had gotten to the point, where she had to be bedridden. Her mom came home to take care of her. Her mother didn't give up. But because of desperation and superstition, the family sought out the help of witch doctors. Still, to no avail.

With no money, it seemed like hope was truly gone. But it wasn't. One of my friend's uncles had given her mom the money they needed to go to a prestigious hospital in Manila. They, of course, took the opportunity.

She was in the ER, when two doctors passed by. They weren't ER doctors, but they specialized in the illness she was suffering from: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). They had recognized one of the symptoms on her face. They examined her, and little by little, she was physically healed. My friend still has to take some of the medications, that affects her growth spurt.

She shared with me though, that despite her tiresome ordeal, she praised God for providing her such dedicated and supportive family and relatives, who were determined to stand by and fight for her life with her, at a time of such trials. And in spite of what she had to go through, she kept her faith in God.

What an inspiring individual! I was simply blown away because her pain is beyond me. I couldn't imagine what it must have felt for her, and her loved ones. "It was so much suffering, but it brought me closer to God," she confided.

And yes, indeed. Instead of succumbing to her illness, she looked up to God because she knew that He is the Light. She didn't waiver from looking for the hope found in God's light. Through our conversation last night, I realized an important truth: Sufferings are God's blessings. They are not curses at all, but beautiful opportunities to call upon His name, to meet Him, to get to know Him, to start a relationship with Him, if not maintain one. In times of darkness, God gave us the stars of hope, patience, peace, and certainty, in His majestic sky of love and grace.