With God Alone

Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, Yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. Isaiah 49:4

Have you thought you toiled in vain? Have you thought for nothing have spent your strength?  I have.

I told my parents that I will be volunteering for Christ’s Youth In Action or CYA, a national movement for college students in the Philippines. As a volunteer, I will receive no compensation. My parents were expecting I can help out with the family finances after getting my degree. But I was convicted to make this big step.  At first my mother was hesitant however my father was inclined to allow me.  After all discussions about cutting down my weekly allowance from them and working extra time for our small family business, I was a CYA volunteer.  Making the big decision is not as easy as ABC.

• There were times my parents got sick, and I said to myself “Is this how the Lord repays my service?” If I had a job, then I can help out for their hospital expenses.
• There were times I have stressed relationship with my brothers and sisters in CYA due to different approaches in our evangelistic activities.
• There were times in came to my mind that “What in the world am I doing here?” when the students are not impacted when we reach for them.
• There were times I observed my batch mates having their time of their lives as they prosper in their electrical engineering career. And here I am working free for the Lord which is not even aligned with my degree.

Looking back, I praise and thank the Lord for the courage and strength that I made that big step for Him. Because of my four years in volunteering in CYA, God has blessed me with growth and love for Him and I am what I am now because of those formative years in CYA.

I am a zealous and passionate Christian I am with the fire I carried in God from CYA. I am a husband I am with the love and respect I experienced with God in CYA brothers and sisters. I am a father I am with the training I learned being cared for and for caring for young people.  I am an engineer I am with the work ethics and principles I was blessed in CYA.

God calls us to serve Him. And when we do His work, we can be discouraged. When things do not go exactly as we expected, we get disappointed. Our reward is not dependent on the results of our service. Our recompense is not based on the response of people with our service. Our reward and recompense is with God alone.