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Embracing the Uncertainties

During my last year in college I remembered telling one friend half jokingly that one day my office email address would be raimond.praptana@xxxx.com which at that time seemed impossible considering xxxx is the biggest chemical company in the world. Both of us burst in laughter after I said that because at the back of our mind we know that there was a huge uncertainty in front of us after graduation. Never mind working for the well respected company, we would be very happy to get a decent job somewhere to start our career right after graduation. That was 2005.

Fast forward to 2018. Another big question mark and uncertainty showed up in my life. Already married with one child and another one coming, I submitted my resignation letter. After 11 years in xxxx, yes the biggest chemical company in the world - my first and only company, I decided to take a break to spend time with my wife and son while also taking this chance to pray and search His purpose in my life. One of the most difficult decisions that I had to take in my life. I was swapping stability as well comfort with one big black undefined box and bringing the whole family with me (please don't ever do this before consulting God and your spouse!!).

When we are talking about uncertainty in life actually we can have two angles to it and we have the power to choose which point of view we want to embrace. Risk or Opportunity? The choice we make will determine how we live our certainty and our attitude towards it. Most of the people (including me!!) sees uncertainty as risk. So many people have been questioning my decision to quit my job citing that is not easy to get a new job, how about my family provision, you will ruin your career leaving a good company, etc. Honestly speaking I couldn't agree more with each one of them. Huge risks are involved here and I am not in the season of experimenting considering that I am a husband and dad of two as well as the sole bread winner for the family.

Fear, worry, and self pity were all over the place in my life the moment I view uncertainty as risk, before and after my decision to leave the company (my gratitude to my wife Gil who has always been there to support and lift me up during these short circuit moments).  It is amazing how these negative and demoralizing thoughts could be instantly flipped into hope, joy, and peace in the presence of the Father. God gave us different perspective on uncertainty when I and Gil prayed together. Uncertainty is an opportunity: to experience God and His love even more, to let go of yourself and what you think can do (for God can do so much greater and can bring us so much further than we can bring ourselves to), and to discover more about ourselves - our values, priorities, and what is truly important in our lives. In short uncertainty brings us freedom from people expectations, self reliance, and control while replacing them with trust, hope, fulfillment, and joy if we decide to walk the uncertainties in life with the Certain One, Jesus; He who never change and could always be counted on every single time.

At the time I am writing this I am still in the middle of my big uncertainty. Living in His presence and His Word is what sustains me until now. Until He opens the door I will continue bring my son to school, enjoy midnight quality time with my life, and serve our Big and Almighty God with everything I had, knowing that He got my back and He will take care of me. 

Open your mind. Open your arms. Embrace uncertainties. Entrust your life to the Father. Life is not a risk. It is an opportunity. 

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