Throughout my long years living and working far from home as an overseas Filipino, I have learned that life in a foreign land often brings moments of deep unfairness. When I was young, I had the natural impulse to react, to demand explanations, or to let resentment take root when wronged.
Yet, as seasoned faith teaches us, trusting God is not a formula for avoiding pain, but an anchor through it. In my early years abroad, I often treated trust like a transaction: I endure, so God must fix it. Today, I know that true trust is resting in his character when nothing makes sense. When you have survived decades of life’s storms—loneliness, prejudice, and broken expectations—you stop asking “Why is this happening to me?” and begin asking “Lord, who are you shaping me to become through this?”
Unfairness in this world is inevitable, often born of human weakness. But God’s justice is never rushed, and his mercy is never exhausted. When we release the burden of needing to control outcomes or prove our innocence, we discover a profound peace.
Living away from our roots also reminds us that our true citizenship and home lie elsewhere. The distance from family and the unfamiliarity of foreign streets often strip away our worldly comforts, forcing us to lean entirely on his provision day after day. In those quiet moments when no one else understands our tears or our hidden struggles, we find that his presence fills the empty spaces of our hearts in ways we never thought possible.
To my fellow travelers: do not let unfair treatment harden your heart or rob you of your grace. Run to the Heavenly Father, choose humility over pride, and remember that his silence is never his absence. Trust him not because life is smooth, but because he has proven faithful through every generation.
Gloria Ruiz
