When pain, pressure, and distress won’t stop, how can we trust that God is good when everything else isn’t?
How can we believe that what’s breaking us is saving us?
Whether you relate to these questions or not, Lovely Cajucom’s story will surely help you shed light on every trial that may come your way.
After being a longtime employee, Lovely and her husband started a fruit shake business which eventually became a successful venture. Having lived paycheck to paycheck for a long time, Lovely’s family finally experienced a comfortable life – with grocery shopping carts always filled to the brim and every child’s need fulfilled.
Sadly, after 2 years, that short-lived success became a memory with the closure of their business during the pandemic. Without any other source of income, they had to survive with their small savings which quickly ran out.
From having much to barely making ends meet, their family was in a financial crisis.
“That time, we could only afford 2 meals per day,” Lovely recalled.
That same year, Lovely, who was hardly resolving their financial dilemma, faced the death of her beloved aunt to Stage 3 Breast Cancer. An incident that brought Lovely deeper into despair.
At the time, Lovely shared that she began to question the goodness of God.
“Lord, we haven’t even survived our business problem yet. Why?” Lovely recounted in tears.
Are you trying to gasp for air because life has been drowning you with problems?
And are you wondering if there is truly a purpose behind your suffering?
Know that there is no trial without purpose in the eyes of God. Believe that your distress or pain becomes the very place where you will experience freedom, healing, and restoration.
Lovely experienced this when God met her in her despair in a very personal way through The 700 Club Asia. When she could no longer carry her burdens, she found rest when as prayed along with the hosts.
Encouraged by the prayers, Lovely’s faith was rekindled. She learned to hold firm to God and His promises even more.
Responding to the promises in Jeremiah 29:11 which says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future,’” Lovely gave Php 500 when she only had Php 600 in her wallet.
She realized that her suffering could strengthen her faith and inner spirit.
Could it be that what you’re going through is God’s way of making Himself known to you?
While there might be a million reasons to give up, choose to persevere and look to the promise that God is working things out as you place your faith in Him.
After that faith decision to give, God gave Lovely the wisdom to start selling their mango shake online. A strategic move that soon got their business back at its feet.
“We only prayed to sell just 10 cups, but God blessed us with 100 orders,” Lovely gratefully shared.
Not too long after, Lovely’s faith was tested once again when her business partner and husband got infected with COVID-19. With that, Lovely began to question God why their family is going through all this.
But this seemingly bad news was a blessing in hindsight. God used this sickness to draw his husband closer to God through The 700 Club Asia. As she held on to faith, not only did Lovely witness God’s healing over her husband but also an awakening of her husband’s faith.
God continuously provided for every need and in return, Lovely faithfully gave back to God and donated again to His ministry through CBN Asia. And as they gave, God gave them even more.
Not long after, God opened an opportunity for their business to grow even more by blessing them with a stall in a park. In 2021, God blessed them even more after joining a Christmas bazaar, which was followed by another business opportunity. God truly overwhelmed them with blessings they couldn’t contain.
“We had an income of 6 digits. Our products got sold out in 3 hours. All the suffering we’ve been through was overwhelmed by God’s blessing,” Lovely proudly shares.
God’s blessing did not end there. He blessed them with a motorcycle that they are using for their business.
While all that they went through brought them pain and despair, it gave them something that led to their breakthrough: a newfound faith in Jesus and His promises.
Truly, every struggle is an opportunity for us to grow and practice our faith. As stated in James 1:2-4,
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
“I learned to trust and hold on to God. I am thankful to God because through Him, I was able to come out victoriously from my struggles,” Lovely shared.
Lovely’s story is a testament that what the enemy meant for evil, God meant for our own good. While it may be tempting to doubt that God has a good purpose for our trials, choose to believe the promises in Psalms 37:13 – 14:
“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
So even on your hard days, we can be confident that all will be made well in time. In lack, the Lord shall provide. In pain, the Lord shall bring healing. In dead situations, the Lord will give life.
So when suffering won’t stop, we don’t give in and give up. Instead, we hold on to His love and declare that though the time isn’t now, we will soon see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
This suffering will accomplish its purpose.
Are you struggling and in need of prayers?
We are here for you. Call the CBN Asia Prayer Center at 8-737-0-700 or email prayforme@cbnasia.org.
If you are also encouraged to support God’s ministry, partner with us today.
