Learning how to wait: Patience.

Patience is the bridge that carries you from the will of God, to the promises of God. - unknown.

Patience... 

Is a virtue … is among the first few thoughts when you hear the word. 

It’s also one a lot of people (especially me!) roll their eyes to. I’ve been standing in this queue for over 20 mins just to pay for ONE ITEM and some lady is smiling and me and telling me to be patient. 

HUH???!!!!

Yes, be patient. 

We live in a world that is moving faster than the actual world itself orbits. We try to fit 48 hrs in 24, try to do things more quickly and move faster. We live in a ’NOW’ atmosphere. I want my money, and I want it now. I want to pay for my items and I want to do it now. I want to be rich and I want to be rich now.

So much so that we’ve brought this attitude into our relationship with God. I want my blessing and I want it now. God, you promised me this, where is it now? 

We don’t of course get it ‘now', and then we complain. We murmur and grumble and roll our eyes and stomp our feet. Can I get a witness? 

We (I) often forget that:

1. God DOES NOT work in our own time. We work in His.
2. God is always, always, yes always, on time. 
3. God is not limited by time. 
4. God’s time is the best. Literally. If it was one second after, or a day before it won’t have caused that HUGE testimony or that smile that can’t be wiped off. 

When I think about patience, the most familiar story that comes to mind is the children of Israel with Moses, on their way to the Promise Land. It’s so easy to read that story and judge them. “Can you imagine them complaining after all God had done for them? Imagine them! So ungrateful. Even God had too much patience with them. God provided for them everyday and they never even said thank you. Imagine!”

Yet, the bible says to pick the log in your own eye before the speck of your neighbours. 

When was the last time you said thank you to God? When did you last give a testimony of God’s faithfulness for coming through just in time? All those times you thought you couldn’t go on and yet you’re still here, have you given God praise?

God likes to show off. Have you noticed? He wants to have the last laugh. He wants to have the final say. He wants people to know that He is God, and more importantly that you are not. That He is in control, not your situation or circumstance, but He alone. When He moves, He really moves. When He shows you off, He REALLY shows you off. Haven’t you noticed that God does not do things small? 

So why is it that having knowledge of who God is, all that He has done, is doing and will do for you, it’s hard to wait on Him? Using our definition from above, the children of Israel had the will of God and the promise of God but they lacked patience and so couldn’t see that bridge from the beginning - the will - to the end - the promise. I wonder often, how may times we all have failed to cross that bridge in our lives just because we lacked patience.

We become impatient towards the very thing that He promised us, forgetting that God does not speak without it already being done, God does not start what He hasn’t completed, and God is faithful to His word and can not lie. 

But I’m not telling you things you don’t know, so what’s my point? 

Be, patient. It sounds easy but think about the last time you waited on God … without complaining. Think about the last time, if ever, God promised you something, word and all from your pastor/spiritual mentor, and you didn’t go asking where it was because right ‘NOW’ what He said couldn’t be farther from your reality. Patience is, anything, but not easy. It’s something you WORK at, consistently and diligently. It requires grace, and definitely faith. It requires self-denial. 

It’s like sitting still when you’ve got a full bladder. You REALLY have to go the loo, and it often feels like you would literally pee right where you are if you don’t go, but in all honesty and fact, you won’t. Five more minutes, you would still be living. Would you still need to be pee? Well duh, but can you hold it? Well it’s been five minutes from when you thought you couldn’t so yes, you can. Another five more minutes, okay maybe not.

Likewise being patient. It feels like there’s no hope or way out. If God doesn’t come through, you’ll ‘die’, go ‘broke’, ‘faint’ or any of those ridiculous lies the devil throws at you. 

You see, God says He won’t give you more than you can handle. So honey, if you’re alive reading this, then you can handle it. Five more minutes, you will still be able to handle it. And when you can’t, He literally comes in. He is never late. But He also usually doesn’t come early. He comes Just In Time.

I’ve seen it happen in my life. The day before I was to accept an offer from my insurance university, God gave me an offer to my current university! Dream university. Couple days before I was about to buy my tickets to go back home because I had no summer internship, God gave me an interview and a job on the spot. Best job yet. Day before I said I was going to stop applying to jobs with psychometric tests because I was failing them, Holy Spirit said "apply you’ll pass this one". I applied, and for the first time, I passed my psychometric tests. It’s a trend in God and I’m sure you can think of some examples of your own.

 This is a reminder and a testimony that we serve a Just In Time God. I’ve often heard people say God shows up 'quarter to shame' and when God is all you have, you have all you need. I can personally testify to these truths.

We are more alike to the children of Israel than we know. So I encourage you (and me) to stop judging them and be a bit more patient so we can cross our bridge and get to the promises of God. We need to learn how to wait for God, not complaining or grumbling, or asking questions, but in patience.

Just sit and say “Yes Lord, I will wait on you. And I will do it without complaining.” God honours that. Not everyone can be patient and those words require GREAT FAITH to put into action, which is why it’s a virtue not a lot of people possess. I pray that as you step out in faith and patience, God will reward you. 

I leave you with these wise words for you to ponder upon. 

“ … perseverance must have it’s full work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:4 - Patience is necessary. It MUST have it’s full work.

“ The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1 - You will never lack. As long as you have God on your side, you will never ‘want’ for anything. 

“Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart, and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14 - The bible never repeats words or phrases for fun, so when it does, it’s always emphasising something. Anyone can be strong, but can everyone wait for the Lord?

"God starts at the end… Hold steady at times of testing. God will finish what He has established. He will not lead you where He does not feed you. He will not guide you where He won’t provide. Continue to walk in obedience." - Franco Fotti 

Peace and love,

Thea xx

Blame game.

Have you often found yourself in sticky situations and you refuse to absolutely take responsibility of it? You did everything right and it’s not your fault. Right?

And then you start to look for who to blame. A lot of the time, we turn this blame to Jesus.

That’s right. It’s easy to blame a God you cannot ‘see’ or ‘hear’. You think XYZ happened because “God wasn’t there”. Or the all popular one, we blame all our “enemies in the village plotting our downfall.”

It’s 2.43am on a Friday night and I have stumbled on this verse that seems to so perfectly describe us (me, at least) a lot of the time:

1 Pet 4:12 MSG
Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. 

It’s easy to blame God for a lot of our problems. Consciously or not, we think the reasons we are in our circumstances are because God allowed it to happen.
 I have often heard that phrase the most when death comes around. Nevertheless, it exists even more in our everyday lives - so much so, that we don’t even realise it. Yes nothing passes this earth without God’s knowledge but please, please don’t forget that Satan is the ruler of this earth. 2 Cor 4:4 NLT
We get a bad grade and we think “but God, I prayed so long and hard this morning. How could you have let this happen?!” We offer our services to God and people laugh at us and call us names.
Sometimes, we actually think that maybe, just maybe, God isn’t “on the job”. We think He might be too busy for us or He’s not really with us as He says He is.
Yes we read the bible and see all the promises. Yes we’ve seen some miracles around us, even in our own lives every now and again but it just seems like a facade.
We don’t expect God to do the impossible. It’s all fun and nice to read and talk about it in our bible study group, but when it comes to us and our own lives, it looks like mission impossible. In fact, dare I say, we have even hidden aspects of our lives because we think - again, subconsciously or not - that God can’t do it. Or He won’t do it.
We think that because we face trials and challenges, God isn’t as good to us anymore.
Think about it. You have moments when everything is going great and you’re oh so full of joy. You think “God must be feeling good to be blessing me like this. He is soooo good!”
Then something hits - a loss, a bad grade, some depressing thoughts - and all of a sudden you’re not praying as much anymore or spending time with God. All of a sudden your perfect world isn’t so perfect anymore. And then the thoughts creep in “But God, what did I do? Why are you letting all this happen to me? It’s not fair.”
It’s almost as though you are blaming God for being in that situation. Imagine! The same God that was so good to you yesterday doesn’t seem so good to you anymore? As though God is like a man that changes his ways and feelings.

In the words of Peter, I urge us all to take a moment to consider that verse: Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job.
Why? Because He is God. Simple. And if you know God, you know that He is ALWAYS on the job. God is good and God is God. His ways are not our ways, His thoughts as far as the heavens are from the earth, to ours.
V13 Peter urges us, instead of blaming God and thinking He’s not on the job, “be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.”
How refreshing! How wonderful and comforting to think that all I ever go through is for spiritual refinement. It’s so that I can grow and be more like Christ. Isn’t that our goal? Isn’t that what our lives are built on? that we may know Him?
“Weeping may endure for the night, but Joy comes in the morning."
Peter ends like this in V19, “So if you find life difficult because you’re doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust Him. He knows what He’s doing and He’ll keep doing it.”
Next time when things don’t go according to plan, don’t be so quick to think that God was ‘against' you. God is always for us and can never be against us. Romans 8:31

Peace and love,
Thea xo

The Holy Spirit Challenge (Moderated by @UgoTheGogo)

As with a lot of us, I was one of those who got to know the Holy Spirit much later in my walk with Christ, forgetting that without Him, I couldn’t even have come to Christ. 

You see, it’s easy to take The Holy Spirit for granted, to act like we do everything on our own and are the way we are by our own strength. We forget to acknowledge Him or even remember Him. After all our default human nature is to be selfish and take the glory to ourselves. 

It is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord Almighty. Zechariah 4:6

My Holy Spirit encounters have come in all shapes and form. One particular one I like are the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. And my favourite two out of those are wisdom and joy.

(Gift) Wisdom - I’m talking about worldly wisdom and Godly wisdom. Wisdom and knowledge in the revelation of Christ and wisdom in your everyday life. You know those moments when you’re reading a bible verse you’ve heard/read a thousand times but for the first time, it really clicks. You get a new revelation for it and you’re giddy with excitement because you could literally take someone to church and preach about it. Yes, those ones! I live for those ‘Aha!’ , fist-pumping moments. That Godly wisdom when you’re about to do something really silly and you get convicted by the Spirit (I call it a Spirit pinch) and you don’t do it. Days/weeks/months later you see the outcome of what would’ve been if you did do it and you’re telling your friends ’That could’ve been me, BUT GOD!!’ You’re looking up like ‘God, that could’ve only been you that saved me from xxx. Thank you.” Did you know that’s the Holy Spirit saving you from all those mishaps, little everyday crisis and so much more than words could explain? We can all recall those countless times we could’ve died, failed, been stranded, been hurt, even as little as stubbing your toe! But the Holy Spirit is just there with those little insights of wisdom saying ‘Do this, don’t do that. Go here, say this, don’t say that.’ (Isaiah 30:21) Sometimes I just look back, and I’m in awe. Not even of the big things, but those little ones that no one ever sees or knows. Just seeing how those little faith actions pulled you through, or listening to your Spirit over an issue and how it worked in your favour, doesn’t it just make you smile and be filled with gratitude?   

(Fruit) Joy - Someone recently asked me why I was always so bubbly and vibrant. My answer - well the Holy Spirit of course. Check my snapchat at 9am when I’m going to work and you’d see me doing the shoki during my praise session. Come back 9pm and I’m dancing to African praise when taking off my make-up. It wasn’t till I got that question I thought deep and hard as to why I always seemed so happy. Was it because everything was always going fine? No. Was I Bill Gate’s daughter? Nope. Was I faking it? Definitely not. It seemed like I was always happy because I really was filled with joy all the time!

The only reason I can explain my joy in the midst of all the hustles and bustles and highs and lows of life lies in the Holy Spirit. I’m not always happy, but I always have joy. The psalmist says there is fullness of joy in His presence. (Psalm 16:11) Listen to enough gospel songs and you’d know what I’m talking about. And if you’re Nigerian and understand your language and listen to a song in it, then you’ll really know what’s up. Joy that overflows even when the enemy is trying to pull one on ya. Joy that no man can take away or give you. That’s the Holy Spirit right there. No matter what comes, no matter what goes, the joy the Holy Spirit puts in you is second to any other type of feeling. 

I could go on and on but I’ll leave you with this song that describes me every time I get a compliment:

“People dey ask me say, na wetin dey make me shine/smile, I just dey tell den say na Jesus (my Holy Spirit) dey make me shine/smile.”

If you don’t have a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit, I urge you to intentionally seek one with Him. He longs to reveal Himself to you. And guys, He is realer than the realest. 

I hope this has made you think a bit, smile but most of all, have you longing for the Holy Spirit. I pray as you find Him, you will be blessed. God bless you!

• Bukiie Smart

Living good, Feeling better

Matthew 6:33-34 NLT 

33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 

34 So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Haa! There are so many ways to break these verses down and analyse them. SO much knowledge just from the revelation of them. But I'll just say two:

Firstly, you can get everything you need. (That's right- that house, that car, that dream job, those grades- everything!) on TWO conditions.

1. above all else (above your will, your desires, what people say, what your bank account says, what your teachers say etc) you SEEK GOD FIRST. The amplified version of this verse says to seek means to "aim at and strive after". Strive to know God, so you can be like Him. 

2. You must also live righteously, which means "His way of doing and being right". i.e DOING THINGS GOD'S WAY. Not your way, not the way your lecturer told you, or your parents or friends told you, HIS WAY. Not taking the bible and rewording it for your own good, but taking it at face value- His way of doing and being right. Not what you think is right, not what makes sense to be right, not the world's version of right, but God's way of being right. 

It's one thing to be right, its another thing to be right by God's standards. 

Secondly. STOP WORRYING ABOUT TOMORROW. Sheesh! We worry about everythingggg- what we're having for dinner tomorrow, what our test result will say, what we're going to do, who is going to call us tomorrow, what exam we will have etc. God is telling us the absolute truth right here- today's trouble is literally enough for today, don't worry about tomorrow! You've got enough on your plate for one day; don't start piling it up with tomorrow's meal. Take everyday as it comes, or as my mum says it "when you get to that bridge, you'll find a way to cross it." but FOR NOW, (i.e for TODAY) , let tomorrow worry about itself. 

Take a moment to read between the lines of what I've just said and ponder upon them for a minute. I urge you to try out at least one of them (or all) and make the changes you need to, and watch your life take a toll for the better. 

Till next time,

Peace & love,

Thea xx

Jonathan McReynolds - No Gray (UNPLUGGED)

This song has such a powerful message and probably describes how some of us Christians have felt at some point or the other in our walk with Christ.

Verse 2 really got to me -

"Lord see I've realized
when it comes to sin
You just don't compromise
It's a matter of death and life
Be weak and do wrong
Or be strong and do right
And I don't wanna keep going to church
Singing all about how much You're worth
And then continue doing my dirt
Living as if I didn't care if You're hurt..."

Listen and be blessed.

Till next time,

Peace & love,
Thea xx

The Good News

Romans  1: 16 - 17

16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is God’s powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven. This message was preached first to the Jews alone, but now everyone is invited to come to God in this same way. 17 This Good News tells us that God makes us ready for heaven—makes us right in God’s sight—when we put our faith and trust in Christ to save us. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scripture says it, “The man who finds life will find it through trusting God.”

Are you ashamed of preaching the gospel? Why should you be? Apostle Paul says the word of God is a powerful method of bringing all who believes in to heaven. Don’t we all want that for our family and friends? Then why are you ashamed? Why does it matter that they’ll judge you or call you names? Your own is to plant the seed, leave the Holy Spirit to water it and it will grow. You are not God; you cannot change their heart. But you can pray that He will.

Your relationships will become healthier once people know and believe in God. It won’t be about fighting everyday or lying because those are not fruits of the Spirit. Sharing the good news is not just for God, it’s for your own benefit too. So that you may have a fruitful, pleasant, abundant life, just as God Himself intended. Just think about that peace that will flow when everyone around you is on the same wavelength of God. You don’t have to read your bible in private or wait till you get to church to pray because all your friends are with you on the same faith. So next time you find yourself struggling to tell that friend more about your love for God, let this verse come to mind and be empowered by it.

Till next time,

Peace & love,

Thea xx

If I could go back in time...

If you could go back in time what would you change? A lot of people think of the big events they’d like to undo – how they flunked that test (they could’ve studied harder), the death or terminal illness of a loved one, the people who broke their heart (they could’ve avoided that relationship) and many others that most people would consider.

Most.

If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t change the big things to be honest. Because those ‘big things' came about because of the little things and so I’d start off with the things people don’t notice or take for granted. The everyday habits, the people I surround myself with, my thoughts towards life … and God. Yes. Believe it or not, but we live in a generation where God is constantly belittled, even ‘tamed’.

‘I’ll take this God thing seriously when I get older/to Uni.’ Have you heard someone say that? I have. I almost wanted to smack them in the hope that perhaps, they’ll get back the sense that they just lost. Almost.

You see, it’s not even what they said that made me upset, so to say. It’s the fact that they don’t even know what they said. They don’t know what it means to ‘Take God seriously’. Because if you knew that taking God seriously involved a life filled with an abundance of grace, love and joy to begin with, everyone would sign up for that. But they didn’t know. The Bible says ‘My people perish for lack of knowledge’  (Hosea 4:6)

Back to the point; if I could go back in time, I’d change the way I looked at God. I wont see Him being so far off, someone that couldn’t relate with what I was going through. Because that’s where our flaw of Jesus comes in. We’ve painted a façade of God such that instead of people wanting to draw close to Him, they’d rather stay distant. Have you heard the phrase ‘Christians are boring’? I have. I almost smacked that person too. Almost. Christians, boring?! “If only you knew… “ I wanted to yell. But I cant go on almost wanting to smack everyone; that’s not what God called us to do. And it’s not like I’m any better to be honest. It’s just that, for each of those comments, I can literally see the ‘old’ me in them and it’s sad.

It’s sad because all God wants to do is have a deep, intimate relationship with you. Me? Yes, you. And me too. And everyone else out there still ‘living’ in sin. God is asking to be your friend, will you let Him?

Will you take Him to love and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, till death (not do you part) join you together again?

If it sounds like marriage vows, that’s because it is. That’s what having God as a friend is about. Yeah, pretty deep huh? And He’s saying those vows to you. So I urge you, dear friend, as you come into the next chapter of your life, take God with you. Have Him to love and to hold, by your side at all times. He’ll be there for you. I promise.

Till next time,

Peace & Love,

Thea xx

Faith

Hebrews 11:1 

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

Remember the trust game? Where you were asked to be blindfolded and your friend was going to lead you on a journey; or the one where you had your eyes closed and had to fall back into the arms of a friend?

I remember it so vividly in a leadership programme I attended. It was my turn to be blindfolded and I was already shaking within. I didn’t like not knowing what was happening next or what my next step was. I was lost; in the dark. but I felt a familiar hand grasping mine, reminding me that she was there and promising not to let me fall. 

I smiled and relaxed. this was someone I could trust.

faith.

We all have it within us- that sense of confidence, reliance, trust. 

Faith. So great inside of us that we boldly reassure our family, loved ones and friends that we’ll see them later. yet so small to move us to make decisions, take the next step or even fall backwards with the assurance that we won’t fall. We recoil, hesitate, stop.

"what if I fall?” 

Hunny, but what if you fly? What are your chances that your fall is your starting point from that flight that makes you soar high, higher than you could ever imagine.

Faith is that little voice in your head always telling you "hang on, I got you, you can do this.” It makes you fearless, giving you a little sense of pride. power, if you may. It’s not in some of us, its in all of us. You ignite the fire, and you leave it to do its work. Shine- bright. Bright enough to put out the darkness. To make you see that clear path ahead of you. To give you hope and that giddy feeling that everything is going well, or would be at least. 

Someone out there is looking for some faith, let yours motivate theirs.

Till next time, 

Peace & love,

Thea xx