Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Play. Fast-Forward. Rewind

I remember vividly growing up, at the age of 14, perhaps, 15 will be closer to the truth, I’d thought to myself some of the reasons people find themselves in difficult situations, experience hardships and even failures. As a child that never really knew the realities of life and the challenges that life could pose on people, I’d thought innocently that I could avoid these difficulties if I just steered clear from fighting, stealing, bad company, ugly behavior, disobedience to my parents, etc. I was paying attention to the big events that brought people shame, hurt, disgrace, disappointments, difficulties and other sad stories. Let me reiterate, they were innocent thoughts.
Getting to this stage as an experienced adult, I realized that some of the problems we encounter in life are as a result of the little events we overlook; they actually eat deep into our lives, causing most people grieve and often times depression- leading to suicide.
PLAY
No doubt, every stage of our lives is in the “play mode”, from the time of birth to the day of our departure from the earth. We live in ignorance; make so many mistakes- while some come out unscathed, others are trapped by their mistakes and they’ll have to live with it for the rest of their lives. It’s funny how life turns out bad for most people because they haven’t really realized that just like a movie, you slot in your disc and hit the “play” button, and as the movie plays out with all the happy, sorrowful, emotional, and romantic scenes, so also our lives, but until you pause and understand why certain events that shouldn’t have been, but have been, you may never live out the rest of your days fulfilled.
Very few people have taken a look at certain events in their lives and have resorted to moving forward and putting things right with their maker- God, but just in case you do not know, there are other negligible attitudes that prevent  you from making corrections, while some see their wrongs, they find it difficult moving ahead.
FAST FORWARD
Certain times when we slot in our movies to watch, we run out of patience either at the beginning, somewhere in the middle or at the end of the movie. I’ve come to discover that every movie scene, (no matter how trivial or how short the scene may appear), is very important to help the viewer understand the complete story and fast-forwarding will only leave loop holes, leading to misinterpretation of the movie and we may eventually get frustrated because of lack of understanding.
One of the reasons most people never make it right and often times get frustrated getting to their destinations is because they lack patience - Yea, I want it quick; Yea, I want it fast; That, I tell you, isn’t in God’s nature. If you must get to your God ordained destination, you need all the patience you can get. A certain young lady who had heard from God concerning His plans for her in life chose to do it her way- the fast way and she had a great fall; which made her a laughing stock amongst those who cheered her while she thought she was living her God ordained purpose. She’d disregarded all warnings to slow it and seek God, to wait on God, to depend on God who’d revealed His plans. Most times, God reveals His plans for you to depend on him and seek Him for directions, but the enemy has a way of making one think that whatever seems similar to God’s plan and is working out fine for you may really be what God intended for you; many have trod this path and it led to destruction. Like the lady who’d determined her destiny, anything that doesn’t cost you a lot or any road that has no obstacles and delays, God is not in it. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.(Isaiah 28:16)
Anytime you choose to live on a fast lane, there’s an old man- the devil, full of tricks, who once wined and dined with God and knows most of what God knows, he’ll help you live on a fast lane, making you feel that God is behind your success, until he brings destruction upon you because that is his desire for every child of God. The reason most people do drugs is because that want quick and easy money, some sell their bodies because they want quick money, some steal to make quick money and they end up in jail, some end up with STDs, some die in the process, etc - The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. (Proverbs 10:22). This verse did not say, the blessings of the Lord comes without pain- no! When you’ve passed through the difficulties, you’ll know peace and no sorrow. Any gift that truly comes from God, however hard it may be, gives peace at last. Any gift the devil gives, however easy and cheap it comes, destroys at last.
For sure, those who put their trust in God can never be put to shame. Times when we get so frustrated that things are not turning out the way we’d have them, things are not the way they should be; our frustration ends the day we learn to wait on God with confident patience knowing that He never fails. Despite the pressure mounted on you by your peers, your family and society, wait on the Lord. Your times are in His hands and only when you take steps before your time will you end up frustrated.

REWIND
This is where most people never get to move up because they dwell in their yester years. Like watching a movie, when you keep rewinding and do not allow the movie play to the end, you’ll not only spend longer hours watching a supposed 120 minutes movie or less, here, moving forward is almost impossible. The hurt and mistakes of yesterday have kept great men and women from running their race to the end, they revisit events that shouldn’t have been, because of our impatience, carelessness and ignorance, thereby causing bitterness, anger, frustration, hatred and even insecurity. Hebrews 12:15 - See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.  You may never know how much damage you cause yourself spiritually when you become depressed. I’ve been there, the Israelites did that, and stayed longer than God intended for them-they kept on thinking about going back to Egypt for meat, bread, etc even though they’d be returning to captivity.
What do I do when the urge to rewind comes? At times, the urge is so irresistible that you find yourself grieving from yesterday’s hurt, but be calm about it, pray and tap into the grace that God gives. James 4:5 & 6A - 5 Don't think that there is no truth in the scripture that says, "The spirit that God placed in us is filled with fierce desires." 6 But the grace that God gives is even stronger.
Will the desire to do what weakens your spirit come? Yes! But, God’s grace is enough to keep us going. Never listen to those who go all holy and sanctimonious, saying you must never remember your past as a new convert or if you’re spiritual issues of yesterday should never cross your mind. You are human and these things will come up to remind you where God brought you out from and how far He has taken you, when it becomes a problem is when you crave for the evil deeds of yesterday or your allow bitterness creep in at the remembrance of the disappointments, failures, abuse, deceit and pains of your past. From Hebrews 12:15, we are instructed not to allow the hurt or pain of yesterday cause bitterness or grieve because they pose as great obstacles to moving ahead, they prevent God’s angels from carrying out the special tasks assigned to them in your live.
Be happy, look ahead for better days, and keep watch, for the enemy never stops reminding you of your failures, shame, disappointments, imperfections and inabilities, but thank the Lord for Jesus Christ who has nailed all these to the cross at his death and has given you the freedom to reign on earth.