You deserve a life of suffering!

Many would tell you today that you deserve nothing but happiness.

Buy this car, and girls will like you!

Buy this dress, and men will chase you!

Buy this phone, and you will be happy!

They will tell you that life is too short to be anything but happy, and the world will offer you many things to keep convincing you so. If you are sad, you only have to spend money to stop feeling sad. If you are depressed, you just need to get over yourself and smile! If you are not happy, then something is wrong with you.

Unfortunately, they’re wrong.

We are all taught that happiness is the end to which we work our butts off. But it is not! We aren’t born to enjoy life in spurts. A life fulfilled is a life worth living. We work not towards pleasure and happiness, but to find joy and fulfillment. But to take hold of the latter, we first have to fight for it. After all, anything worth having is worth dying for, isn’t it?

Before John Gokongwei Jr. became the successful man that he is today, he had to sell roasted peanuts, soap, candles, and threads to earn money, at only 15 years of age. He had to be separated from his siblings as his parents sent them to China where the cost of living was cheaper. He had to work hard to bring them back home, and work even harder to establish the businesses that would continue to bring food to their table; later on to the thousands of other Filipino families through JG Summit, Universal Robina, and several other companies that he built. He fought his way to break the airline monopoly and fulfill his vision to provide the Filipino people with a cheaper alternative to flying locally and internationally through Cebu Pacific. In 2016, he was ranked as the second richest man in the Philippines, according to Forbes Magazine. Now, the companies that he built continue to provide for the needs of their many employees and their families, while also devoting time to philanthropy work.

Thirty years before he surpassed Michael Jordan in the NBA all-time scoring list, LeBron James would move from home to home seven times in one year with his mother. Born to an unprivileged family with his single mother, he would find himself fatherless after his mother’s long-time boyfriend and his father figure spent several years in prison for selling drugs and fraud. In his first year in the NBA, he would be joining the bottom-feeders, Cleveland Cavaliers, with sky-high pressure on him to bring them to playoff contention. In 2007, he would be carrying the whole team to the finals only to lose in their championship bid. Almost a decade later, he would have to overcome a 3 games to 1 lead by arguably a record-breaking Golden State Warriors team to bring home Cleveland’s first ever championship trophy. Now, he is currently in the greatest of all time debate with Michael Jordan. LeBron donates millions to at least 5 charities, using his success and talent to help open up opportunities for other kids who are also victims of poverty.

Perhaps the most famous of them all, a young carpenter from Nazareth over two millennia ago could have faded into obscurity after he was put to death by the Roman authorities of this day. Jesus Christ, before he was one of the most influential, most honored, and most loved persons in all of history, had to endure the betrayal and denial of his friends and the deserting of his disciples. He had to suffer being crowned with thorns and being scourged throughout his whole body. He walked half a mile carrying a 150 pound cross only to be killed at the end of the road for trumped up charges by the people of his time. All of these, He suffered for the salvation of mankind. All of these, He suffered because He had a worthy cause. On the third day of His death, He came back to life and gained eternal glory. Now, He has changed the lives of millions of people around the world claiming to be His followers, including mine.

You deserve a life of suffering because there is a testimony after the test.

You need to endure hardships so you can turn your trials into triumphs.

You have to go through the mess so you can spread His message.

My friends, whether we like it or not, we will all encounter difficulties in life, but we have to make it through, and we will make it through. Our lives are made up of ups and downs. When we find ourselves in a life without so, perhaps, ours is already a flat line. We’d all be dead by then, don’t you think?