09 Aug The Path to Forgiveness
Can a TV series lead to the gospel?
Being the middle child is not easy, especially when parents show favoritism. This is what Gab Tan, 28-year-old medical frontliner, experienced growing up. She often felt that her older and younger siblings would get the attention, the gifts, and other things that they wanted from their parents, but not for Gab.
She was convinced that she was treated unfairly as the favoritism grew more apparent in her eyes. “Kunwari ako gusto ko ng piano pero hindi sa akin ibibigay. Pero ‘yung brother ko humingi siya ng piano, binigay sa kanya so masakit,” Gab recalls.
As she lived feeling unfavored by her parents, she also experienced hardships in her other relationships with her siblings and friends. During these days she would feel sad and lonely, only to find relief by watching TV or internet series.
Gab came across the miniseries A.D. The Bible Continues, a TV show that features the life of the apostle Paul and his journey before and after he became a follower of Christ. The series ends with a cliffhanger, with no continuation under production, so Gab was hooked on the story.
What was she to do? Gab read the Bible in hopes of finding the continuation to the story she watched. She was amazed at how Jesus’ greatest enemy became His greatest ally. She would also listen to an audio Bible while she did chores, just to learn more of the Bible’s stories. But with so many questions and so little answers to gather for herself, Gab knew she had to look elsewhere. And that’s how she met Kathy, now her Victory group leader, who went through ONE 2 ONE with her.
Learning to forgive
One of the topics that stuck with Gab from Victory Weekend was forgiveness. She knew she bore resentment against her parents for their favoritism, but she eventually learned to let it go even when she didn’t feel it in her heart. Little by little, she experienced changes and improvements in her relationship with them.
“I learned to forgive my parents,” Gab joyfully says while stopping herself from crying. To Gab, the neglect she felt from her parents was the heaviest emotional baggage that she struggled with. She knew that forgiveness was a decision she had to make for herself—to be free from shackles that would only continue to hurt her.
When she was asked why she forgave her parents, she says, “Nag-decide lang. Gusto ko lang mawala yung baggage at i-release ‘yung hatred ko sa parents or kahit sa sinong tao… I want to forgive because God forgave me.”
Her turning point began when she realized she wanted the kind of love Christ gave. And when she experienced it from her community she said, “Hinahanap ko ‘yung place where I belong… ‘yung where I would feel most loved.”
Now that Gab is walking with Christ, she seeks to make an impact by serving in church and outside of ministry. Gab knows she is loved and forgiven, and she feels joyful and hopeful for her future and her journey in the faith.
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