When bad things happen, how do you normally react? It just wasn't my day? Bad day? Bad luck? or God has a lesson for us to learn?

Like a coin with 2 sides, it depends on whether you wana see as how worldly people view it or how God's people are willing to learn things God's way even though it might sound irrational at times. Brenda chooses the latter.

Brenda has been a clumsy girl. Never take good care of her belongings and is forgetful as to where she has placed her stuff and whom she has lent them to.

She has finally learned her lesson on one fine Sunday afternoon after church service, walking away after lunch without realizing she dropped her purse on the ground. Not bothered to check if she had taken all her possession, she chit-chatted with friends on way up to church for meeting after she had filled her stomach. She remembered she had to top-up her phone credit but ignored the thought by thinking she could do it after the meeting. It was the thought that made her regret.

When she was about to find her purse to reload her phone credit after the meeting, she realized it was no where to be found. Anxiously, she dashed to the table where she had lunch with friends and looked around. She saw her purple purse lying on the ground under the table. Picked it up, unzipped, looked carefully... and found out that there were only her driving license and I.C. left. The RM150 which was with the cards.... was gone!

She looked around the crowd helplessly. She asked her friends who were still hanging around if they saw any suspicious person picking up the purse, and also the men who were sitting next to the table where she found her purse but it was of no help. The men would not admit, even if they were the one who took the money, that it was their deed.

Disappointed, helplessly, assuring her friends that it was okay, she walked away.

As she was driving home she was reminded of how temporal is treasure on earth and that there is no security at all in storing up worldly possessions which thief could steal and natural disaster could sweep away.

Matt 6:19-21
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

How true it is when God says, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also".

*** I felt the pain in losing the money my dad just gave me the night before. I felt hard to rejoice when I lost something that was belonging to me. But I want to learn this lesson God's way even though it is the harder way. In fact, it is always easier for me to say, "It was my bad luck" or to resort in self-pity or the blame game and come out with countless what-ifs situations. But I want to remind myself that I should not hold back unduly and selfishly of the blessing God has given me, be it monetary blessing or gifts He has given me, but to contribute back to God's kingdom.

Proverbs 11:24
One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another witholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

Giving and sacrificing is a form of commitment to God's church and kingdom. One man cannot serve 2 masters, God and money. He will either gain one or lose another. Brenda, be stingy no more to God.

With pain and heart ache, crying out to God, "I've learned Your lesson, thank You, Lord..."

THE END