Life has a way of making the other side of the fence greener than our own side, and making that which other people have better than our own. And many are the times that we go through life not being content and always thinking that other people have it better than us. However, we get so caught up in our efforts to try to get the next best thing that we forget to be greatful for what God has already given us or better yet to enjoy it.
I for one, i am guilty of always asking for bigger and better things and as far as i can remember my prayers have been about God I want this and i want that. And as soon as God grants me what i want, i would immediately see or desire something better, and i would either be back on my knees asking for my new desire to be fulfilled, or i would just go for it with my own human effort.
For most of my life, God has been kind to me and has given me all my hearts desires at just the right time. When i was in primary school, i heard of a school called Lilongwe Girls Secondary School on the radio. The students of that school would have recorded quizes on the radio and at times they would perform songs. I immediately took a liking to the school and i wanted to go there. And God made it possible and i attended that school.
Once i was there my heart was fixated on a new found love-The University of Malawi,Polytechnic. My sister took me there once to visit her friend and when i saw the place i fell in love and my prayers shifted to the Polytechnic. When i finally got there i immediately wanted to graduate with good grades and God made it possible and i graduated with a credit. Once i had graduated with my credit i asked for a good job and God gave it to me. At that point i saw the rest of my future clearly, as it seemed that i always got what i wanted, at just the perfect time.
But while sailing in this blissful life my boat was rocked, as my personal life suddenly hit a rough patch, that i had never anticipated and never saw coming at all. And suddenly i found myself being angry with God, and in my anger i asked questions and even said some things that i shouldnt have said. In a blink of an eye,I had forgotten how far God had brought me, and i had forgotten the good things that i still had in my life and my eyes were just fixed on all the things that were going wrong. Instead of looking back at the blessings God had given me in the past, and even those blessings that were still there and tesifying his goodness in my life, all i could do was focus on my problems and the blessings that other people had in their lives.
But in the midst of this turmoil i still knelt down and prayed to God asking him to make it better, and in my heart i believed that he would turn the situation around and it would all be perfect again. But for the first time God did not give me what i wanted, when i wanted it, and how i wanted it. But instead he gave me lessons that i now hold dear to my heart. He taught me to sit quietly and reflect on all the good things he had done, he taught me to be humble and sympathise with others, he taught me to seek and embrace his will above all else, he taught me to trust him wholeheartedly and not to rely on my own strength, he taught me to take time and thank him and give him glory for every blessing he pours into my life instead of rushing through life and acquiring the next best thing.
Today, i can boldly say that God has restored my life, and given me peace again. But i wouldnt enjoy this peace and hapiness that he has given me if he never taught me the lessons that i learnt while i passed through the deep waters. Today i try to live and enjoy the happy moments without being anxious for the next best thing. Today my prayers are less self centred than they were yesterday although i am still a work in progress. Today i know that i can do all things through christ who strengthens me.
Today i would advise you to take time and enjoy where you are and what you have and give God glory for what he has given you, because you dont know what tomorrow holds. And today no matter what you are going through, know that you are exactly where you are supposed to be, and allow yourself to be held in Gods hands and he will take you to places beyond your imagination...
KjE
