Moments with my First Love [UNDER REVISION]

MOMENT 6: Chance after Chance

Nasubukan mo na bang maglaro, pero noong huling pagkakataon na, saka mo lang naisip ang mas magandang strategy? Natalo ka na at gusto mo sanang bumawi, pero wala na ring chance.

O kaya, nakakita ka na ba ng sale sa mall? Nag-aalinlangan kang bilhin kaya nilampasan mo na lang. Pero noong nagbago ang isip mo at bumalik ka, last stock na pala at naunahan ka na ng iba.

O di kaya'y may pagkakataon na alam mong dapat mong sabihin ang totoo, pero nanahimik ka na lang dahil sa takot—at hanggang ngayon, dala-dala mo pa rin ang pagsisisi na sana, nagsalita ka na lang.

Life is full of chances. Some are wasted because of hesitation, pride, fear, or even the thought that there will always be another opportunity tomorrow. Pero hindi lahat ng bagay ay may second chance. And that is why every chance given to us is something sacred.

Many people say that chance should only be given to a person who deserves it. Kailangan daw may patunay muna na totoong nagbago ang isang tao bago bigyan ulit ng chance. And honestly, from a human perspective, parang tama naman iyon. Sino ba naman ang gustong masaktan ulit? Sino ba ang gustong lokohin muli ng parehong tao?

But think about this deeply...

If we base grace and chances on human standards alone, then none of us is truly deserving of another chance. Why? Because every one of us is capable of hurting someone. We can disappoint people. We can fail them. We can break trust, intentionally or unintentionally. Kahit gaano pa tayo kabuting tao sa paningin ng iba, there will always be moments where we fall short.

The idea of "chance" is too beautiful para ibase lang sa human understanding. It is something that can only be fully understood through the heart of God and through His Word.

In Book of Job 33:29-30, it says that God gives us chance after chance to save us from death and bring us into the light of life. Imagine that. Hindi lang isang beses. Hindi lang dalawang beses. But again and again.

God keeps giving us what we do not deserve so that we may realize that everything we have is not because of our own goodness or capabilities. It is all because of His grace.

The truth is thhat you are chosen and forgiven by Christ, pero hindi ibig sabihin na hindi ka na magkakamali pa. Magkakamali at magkakamali pa rin tayo because we are nly humans. Even after salvation, we still struggle. We still fail. We still have moments where our faith weakens, where our flesh overcomes our spirit, where our hearts drift away from Him. Yet despite all of that, God remains faithful.

When I tried to reflect on my own life, wala rin namang akong makita ni isang bagay na pwede kong gawing dahilan para sabihing "deserving" ako sa kabutihan ng Diyos. The more I know myself, the more I realize how much I need His mercy every single day. Kaya nga paborito ko ang isang kanta na sinasabing,

"You don't owe me anything,
Still You give me everything...
God I owe You everything,
I want You more than anything.."

And that is exactly how God loves us—unconditionally. Even though He already knew that there would be people who would ignore Him, reject Him, forget Him, and continue sinning even after His sacrifice on the cross, He still chose to love us. He still chose to stay.

That kind of love is difficult for the human heart to understand because most human love depends on conditions. But God's love remains constant even when we are inconsistent.

All of us have sinned and we will still fall short of His glory. Yet despite that, He continues to give us chance after chance. Countless times.

In Gospel of Mark 2:17, Jesus said, "And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."