"Pagbabalik-loob"

What a way to start this month, “Pagbabalik-loob”, the title of the message this morning. After a depressing Valentine’s month, the only way to go back to reality is to re-evaluate and revisit oneself. I became so much preoccupied with non-sense thoughts about another individual, almost to the point of snapping out of reality. There were wasted nights devoted to thinking of what the other is doing and waiting for a text message until the wee hours of the morning. Energies that were supposed to be spent on worthwhile things were diverted to activities of no spiritual or emotional value. I was trying to make sense of it all, until I heard this message in this morning’s service.

A return to one’s self means restoring broken relations, both emotional & spiritual. Valuing old friendships & family, but above all, reconnecting to God. Once you realize that God is the only source of wholeness in life, we will never seek anything else to satisfy our desires. Single, singled or married, it doesn’t matter anymore as long as you exist to please the Lord and live a life according to His will. A genuine change of heart will likewise result in a change of life. The outpouring of the heart will direct you to do things only to bring glory to God, creative ways that will be a blessing to others. I see this “pagbabalik-loob” as a spectrum that will eventually lead to being a disciple of Christ witnessing to others through our lifestyle and not only with words. This is such a timely message now that we are ushering in the Lenten season, a time of reflection. I do hope we continue to practice on a daily basis this “pagbabalik-loob” not only this Lent but through our lifetime. It is only through this virtue that one can experience “wholeness’ & “fullness” of life.

“The unexamined life is a life that is not worth living.” - Plato