Life is worth living for

I was cleaning up some old stuff - a mixture of papers, notebooks, books, etc. from high school and college - when I came upon this old essay. It was titleless but I remember very well it was an essay written during our religion class. The entry below is my response to our 4th year religion teacher in high school who once asked us this question: "Why is life worth living for?"

"Yes, life is worth living. Although life has many sad moments, it also has happy memories. Life is a wonderful adventure, a journey with many ups and downs. There is nothing perfect in this world. If there are good elements, there are also bad. But it's up to us to make it harmonious. Life has many holes, many steep and rocky roads. But life would not be complete without these. For if life was all sunshine, it would lose its meaning. But, of course, if life was all cloudy and grey, we would have no reason for living. God is so good. He gave us a share of everything. We taste the laughters, tears, jubilation, depression and everything else in between.

But most of all, life is worth living because God loves us. Love is the most wonderful gift God has given us. Life is all about Love. It's all around us, beside us and inside us. It's heaven on earth and God is so good He let's us experience this most blissful of all states. Life is worth living because of our family and friends. Life is worth living because of the people we love. But most of all, life is worth living because God loves us. That's enough reason to live."

*Sigh*

Those were the good, old days of my life when nothing seemed to bother my confidence and trust in God. 

Now, many years later, although I still find truth in these statements, I find that life is much harder and too complicated. Mistakes, failures, disappointments and self-pity have all marred my relationship with God. But I hope and pray that in time, I will be closer once more to Him. 

I know for certain - and from personal experience - that He listens to our prayers. The answer, however, may not be a fulfillment of what we prayed for but I believe it is always for the best. He allows circumstances in our lives to happen for different reasons - perhaps to teach us a lesson, to tell us to wait a little longer, or to point out to us how far we've truly strayed from the right path and to remind us to come back to Him.

I have been afflicted with guilt, disappointment and shame that all stem from a single mistake that led to an unending chain of wrong decisions. But as always He has reminded me yet again that He has not forgotten nor  forsaken me. In fact, these past few days, God has been constantly reminding me to let go of all the guilt, shame and disappointment that have been dragging me down. He reminds me that I've carried these burdens for long enough and that it's time to let go. It's time for a fresh beginning. With this, I pray: 

Dear Lord, 

Thank you for staying true to Your promises. Thank you for listening to my prayers always. Today, I reaffirm my trust and faith in You. Let Your will be done in my life now and for always. Make me a new creation, a new being, ready to face the new chapter of my life. I hope and pray that You may grant me the gift of humility and forgiveness. Please have mercy on me with little faith. 

Right now, I put down the yoke of guilt, shame and disappointment that has plagued me for so long. Right now, I look to heaven thanking and praising You for lifting these burden from my shoulders. Thank you Lord. Amen.