SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews / 21 April) — Have you ever felt tired or unmotivated lately because of the current crisis we have to deal with? I shudder to think that it sometimes feels as though it is the price we pay for being human and living in this world.
Motivation has left the room, leaving us barely trying to sustain our own momentum in the middle of rising costs and daily uncertainties. In this period of time, we are reminded to choose faith over fear, even when circumstances try to tell us otherwise.
There are days when the weight of everything quickly settles in, a creeping kind of exhaustion that is difficult to name but impossible to ignore. We find ourselves reeling from pressures we never expected to carry, and what once felt like stability has slowly disappeared.
Life has become more complicated and demanding, asking more from us than we ever thought we could give. Yet even in these junctures, we must learn not to be eaten up by worry, but instead face each day with courage and trust as staples in our lives, so that even our difficulties become fertilizer for growth and give us maximal strength and room to rise.
Still, we remind ourselves that these hardships may still be part of the equation, paving the way for something greater. In uncertain times, we hold on and keep forging ahead, choosing to nurture our faith. Faith is active, and God is ever-present. As it says in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This truth anchors us and reminds us that we are never alone in our fights, and it gives us a chance of connection.
We may stumble, we may pause, and sometimes we may even dim our inner light just to cope — but we also find ways to lift ourselves up along the way. It is important that we do not lose sight of our strength. In our weakest days, we seek guidance from above, relying firmly on faith for a sense of equilibrium and hope. Choosing faith over fear allows us to move forward with confidence and willingness, even when the path ahead remains a mystery we cannot fully conceal or understand.
Because when the costs of living rise, we are not only called to endure — we are called to rise to the occasion. Growth does not always come in booming, obvious ways; sometimes, it leads us through unfamiliar paths. And thereby, we place ourselves at the forefront of our own survival — not merely getting by, but becoming stronger with every challenge we face.
Yes, when the costs of living rise, so must we, guided by faith, strengthened by grace, and determined not to be consumed by worry. And I believe that, in the midst of everything, everything happens for a reason.
(Batang Mindanaw is the youth section of MindaNews. Jhon Steven C. Espenido, 25, writes from Surigao City)
