Friday, September 05, 2008

The Favour Factor: Transform Lives and Make a change

…..it pains me to see someone who has been blessed so, still unable to acknowledge the blessing or see her path laid with so much light… (Sisbee)

I knew a young lady once, who moved on from one blessing to another never recognizing it or being thankful for it. She moved up from being in the shadows to fame in three divine steps, whilst leaving her contemporaries to struggle with jealousy, despair, worry, and other fruitless emotions. It was as if a normal occurrence in her life, which translated to a miracle in the life of others, was always treated with such indifference.

Her Complain:

Every now and then she would ask God, “Why have you created me to only know pain, to question my life's turn of events and in the midst of it all, loose sight of YOUR path for my life. To seek refuge in all the wrong places compounded again with the already fragile state of mind. She would continue with, “What is the point of all the excellence and promotions. I did not ask for wisdom or wealth, but you gave me those in abundance. Still the one I desire the most, “You” have in all these years yet to give me”. Grumbling had become a normal way of life for her, but this did not stop God from making her life a shinning example. A blessing she neither welcomed but rather saw as a cross to bear. A load too heavy to carry. Can you imagine pretending to be happy, when I’m slowly crumbling inside? How can my life be envy to so many people?

God’s answer:

Then one morning as she woke up, like the days previous, ready again to read out her questions, before she spoke, she heard, it was now her turn to be questioned concerning what she’s been doing with her gifts. The Lord asked her: why do my blessings not please you? I gave you life, so that your life is filled with hope and joy and all manner of praise worthy things. I gave you health, so you could enjoy the abundant Life I have stored up for you. I gave you wealth, so that you will know no lack and wisdom so that you will continue to be the head and above in everything your hands find to do. I fearfully and wonderfully made you, which is why when you step out, people take notice of you. You see, it’s not your fault that they have to take notice, it’s just the way I planned it. Before you had need of anything, I had already made provision for them. I realise that sometimes it may take a while to get to the one you desire the most, but you see it’s a process. A conveyer belt system, an ordered series of events to prepare you for that destination. Everything you’ve been given up until now, is a build up to the ones to come. Including “That one” you’ve so vehemently accused me of withholding from you. I don’t think you realise how much I love you, how important you are to me, and how it pains me of your lack of appreciation. I understand that some negative things have and will continue to happen in your life, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t factored it in my plan. Every gift I’ve given you was never for you and you alone, but to be used to transform lives and bring a much needed change in the lives of the people I’m sending to you. The Life I created you for is greater than the life you are living, but it was good for you to ask. It is because of the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness that “you” are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is your stability and faithfulness - Lam 3:22 - 23. In these days he has shown his favour and taken away “your” disgrace among the people - Luke 1:25. He is watching to see that “His” word is fulfilled (Jer. 1:12), and "You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you." - Numbers 11:23. He continued on to say Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (Jer. 1:5).

Each one us have one complaint or the other which we’ve already spent a considerable amount of time presenting to God, forgetting there are people whose lives are dependent on the trials we've overcome, none too small in the eyes of God. It is time to go to ‘Galilee”. What are we doing wrong in our lives? Have we in the waiting for “that answered prayer” forgotten to give thanks to God for the others? Are we struggling with the glass is half empty concept. If we are truly honest with ourselves, we can see how good the Lord has been to us. Not just the small things even the great ones. To always count our blessings, because in doing this we see that the positives outnumber the so called negatives. Today I am alive to testify of God’s goodness and greatness in my life - They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death – Rev. 12:1. My future greater than I can ever imagine. I think when we magnify God, and remember how great our God is then living for ourselves will be easier to let go. Living for God, trust me is so much hassle free. We don’t have to worry about the things He’s done or not done for us, but the things we can do for Him. Like the Psalmist says I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken. I too have that testimony to tell. There are people waiting for their lives to be transformed through your testimony. This is the time to Transform Lives and Make a change. Let us never be found wanting.

4 comments:

Rita said...

"...Living for God... is so much hassle free..." I agree with you. I pray I never take the blessings of God (what HE has given me to bring glory to Him) for granted.

Thanks for such an inspiring post.

Anonymous said...

this is like wrting about me and my current state of mind unfortunately. sooo on point. THANKS~!!!

Beyond said...

very inspiring!...

God help me to always reference you in all i do and in my way of life.

Kafo said...

wow this is beautiful

i will be back to read this one again
it was like her complaint was my own