JOURNAL OF MY EVERYDAY LIFE MAMF

DO NOT FORCE IT 03182025

March 18, 2025

12:40am

"Do not force it."

Thank You, Lord, for today. I received another wisdom from our Men's group, and I learned a lot about submission to leaders and even about correction. It's been a big struggle since early morning, Lord, because of the switch for the light. The spring gave up, and it no longer returns to its usual form that can be pressed to turn on the switch. It needs to be repaired soon because it's difficult without light in the room, especially for my online teaching and interviews. There are things, Lord, that cannot be forced, and at times, with great expectations, we end up disappointed and disillusioned. Thank You, Lord, because the message about submission to authority was timely. It's one of the things everyone should expect to follow, but sadly, almost everyone has their own desires to fulfill, and sometimes these don't align with the leader's plans. Why do we always force things that we want, knowing the outcome is not good? In relation to people in authority, like church leaders, there are people who oppose them. Why complicate things when they should simply submit? If a Pastor doesn't abuse their right as a leader, they deserve respect and honor because God placed them in that position. Who are we to question their actions when we ourselves cannot fill the roles they play? I believe we can learn a lot if we choose to submit to leaders, those in authority, or even those more experienced than us.

Ecclesiastes 8:9

9 All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: There is a time in which one man rules over another to his own hurt.

I just reminded myself earlier, while trying to fix the light, that I cannot force something to be fixed if I don’t have the knowledge or experience. It’s okay to try, but trying in a way where you already know the outcome won’t be good will always lead to failure. We cannot force something just to fix or change it. Some things might need a natural process, or the fixing might require a professional or someone more experienced in that area. For example, this morning, when I tried to fix the light switch, I forced myself to repair it even though I knew I wasn’t skilled and had no idea about electrical stuff. I tried because I thought I could do it, but it only got worse and almost broke completely. Actually, it did break, but not entirely. I even got slightly electrocuted, but thank You, Lord, for keeping me safe after finishing up and tidying it so no one would accidentally touch or step on it. Another example is Mama’s customer during lunchtime who complained about the pancit (noodles) she cooked, saying it lacked flavor. But for Grace and me, the taste was fine. However, for that person, they wanted to add fish sauce just to make it flavorful. It’s really hard when someone has different preferences because tastes vary. Some prefer saltier or sweeter food; others want it perfectly balanced; some want less seasoning altogether. You really can’t force everyone to like what you want because the more you impose your way, the more things go wrong. God is truly gracious to us because He gives us different options and even time to think. We struggle with decisions because there are so many possibilities. In our human thinking and logic, we try to solve things our own way. There’s nothing wrong with trying, but at times, when we overdo things our own way, that’s when we fail—and worse, we hurt others because of the outcome or even during the process due to immense pressure. That’s also what we sometimes do with our leaders. For instance, with government leaders—currently there’s so much heated discussion about President Duterte. Despite his significant contributions to the Philippines, there are still many people who disagree with him and rant endlessly everywhere just to get what they want against him. If he suffers consequences for his actions, I know he will accept them with humility because he hasn’t hesitated to surrender before. I’m not saying I’m overly biased toward President Duterte, but I’m also not against him. All human beings have their own uniqueness, contributions, strengths, and weaknesses. If we only focus on a person’s negative side—do we even still treat them as human? Sometimes we get carried away by others’ emotions and forget that we have our own better thoughts and responses to situations. It’s painful to think about how people get hyped up or influenced by what they perceive as truth in their surroundings. This is often called “bandwagoning,” but it’s truly disheartening when someone is judged based solely on the majority’s opinion. Sometimes people even force things just to push their desired outcome—but in the end, it only leads to destruction. When it comes to God’s matters, we should not do things forcefully. If you’ve chosen to commit yourself to God—surrendering and laying down all your concerns before Him—then why would you still insist on your own decisions in the end? Yes, you will always have decisions to make—but sometimes you consult God for something you cannot handle on your own yet still force your way forward. If only we could think a million times before making decisions so as not to sin—we should do so. If we choose to submit to God, let us also consider that we don’t need to force things or bargain with Him just for our desires to happen. I pray always, Lord, that in my thoughts I will confirm with You whether what I plan is right or just my own will. It may seem excessive that everything should depend on God—but yes, that’s how it should always work. We can do our best—but God’s best is always beyond our thinking and capacity. The unexpected things we thought we couldn’t handle—we were able to handle because of God. The things we thought wouldn’t happen—God made a way if they aligned with His will for us. Our relationship with God doesn’t end by simply following Him and accepting Him as our personal Lord and Savior. We should practice and work on our salvation daily by spending quality time with God—reading His Word, meditating on it, sharing it with others—and applying it in our lives. It’s hard when we force ourselves into thinking that just because we’re Christians, we can reason out God’s grace while still committing sin. Sadly, sometimes we even use God for our benefit in forcing things to happen. We don’t even fear using His name while forcing things that aren’t meant for us. Compromising is one sin that some Christians unconsciously commit without realizing it. I am guilty of this too—and the effect always feels bad after committing sin because you thought you’d be happy but instead ended up adding more concerns later on. We are all reminded to always return to God—not forcing things just for our desires to happen. Let our attitude reflect more of God by seeking His plans for us—seeking His will and what He wants us to do—and fulfilling His calling for us as Christians. I pray earnestly, Lord—that I won’t force things that I think are good or will make me happy—but let my actions always align with You so that whatever the outcome may be—I know it’s for my best because it is Your will for me. I never imagined myself doing all the work that isn’t what You intended for me—especially if Your instruction has been clear from the start. We have leaders and mentors who guide us—so let us always find time to talk and consult them before making critical decisions that could affect others. Even now, Lord—I’m still finding myself and where You’ve truly called me. I’m doing things now—but I believe there’s something greater that I should be doing at this moment. I know You’ve given me talents—but I pray for clarity about where You want me to go or what exactly You want me to do—especially in this generation. I don’t want to force again what I think is my task only to realize later that it isn’t Your plan at all. This journal is one of the gifts I treasure from You—and I take joy in writing knowing this is all for You. Every day I face many temptations and different influences—but knowing that my writing ends up being for You gives me assurance that there’s no room for sin in my life anymore. I don’t write just for fun—I write for You—to remind myself constantly that You are always listening. And now Lord—I want to listen too—to hear clearly what Your plans are for me. No matter how long it takes—I’ll wait patiently just to hear Your voice clearly about what You want for my life. I don’t want to be the same person again who forces things just to get what they want—the best way is always with You. If I stop what I’ve started with You—I’ll remain stuck running in circles over and over again. I don’t want sin anymore—and I want my days productive daily—especially when they’re lived out with purpose for You. I don’t want delays anymore in fulfilling the dreams You’ve prepared for me—even if I haven’t noticed them yet—help me discover them now. If my understanding of how best to serve Your kingdom is lacking—teach me obedience always. Sometimes I push myself too hard physically—but when it comes down to serving You—I know there’s no need because Your grace sustains me daily beyond measure. Let my days always be filled with encounters of Your presence—and let every emptiness be replaced by joy knowing You’re here with me. Lord—please remove all my strongholds—all bondages—and everything displeasing before You—take them away from me completely! I surrender everything just so You can take over all aspects of my life pulling me away from Your presence—you can have it all until there’s nothing left but You alone! I LOVE YOU JESUS❤️