Photo by Jide Alakija

Social media today makes the introduction to a godly life look glamorous with all the amazing, encouraging quotes in the foreground of stunning backdrops. This walk with God is painful, it’s tough, people will judge you, people will label you crazy, and you will over project what others think on yourself. You will lose it all. Just at the mention of God, some people have stopped reading already. That so called fulfilled relationship, maybe the money, definitely the friends and family, It’s peace out to all of them. Every mistake you make from here on out will be even more criticized exponentially. You will hear things like “if you love God, why do you still make mistakes, why isn’t your life perfect, why haven’t things happened for you, why do you still live a mediocre life, my favorite is from the perfect Godly people out there “faith without work is dead, surely you can’t expect God to do everything for you?” As though they were the oracle of God concerning what is happening internally!

Others will not ask explicitly, but you can see it in their eyes. You can hear it in their backhanded comments. Their criticism comes nicely packaged in their intellectual conversations with you, constantly trying to disprove what you’re still trying so hard to believe. You will dream dreams more than ever, but these oppositions will come at the pivotal moments of your faith when you are wondering if this God you are chasing after is real, if He exists and if you matter to Him. The noise will heighten as you strain to hear the so called “voice of God”. It will come from those who “get you”; it will come from those who don’t. You will be labeled “religious” while you are fighting to identify as spiritual. You will give up many times on this journey; you will beat yourself up for failing uncountable times and then give up again because you gave up in the first place. You will read the bible sometimes  go wah? What’s the point? WHAT IS THE BLOODY POINT????

THE POINT.

It’s twisted to think there is a point to all this internal and external conflict. Matter of fact there are many points for me. The first point is that a bloody sacrifice was made so that I’m free. So that I know who I am and be confident in whom I was created to be. Because the closer you are to God, the closer you are to the idea of who you truly are! Having endured all that, there is a you that evolves with longer legs and stronger roots. There is a you that has encountered and seen multiple revelations of God. There is a you that has seen storms and yet you still walk on water. You are no longer emotionally needy, depressed and attention seeking. There evolves a you that doesn’t mind the criticism because it means you are doing something right. There is a you that still make mistakes and sometimes hurt people, but you know you are on a journey and being perfected daily. Thank God for grace…… Your helplessness raises a you who relinquishes all forms of control and gives God the opportunity to perform.

Have you given God a chance to perform, truly believing that He will? I have, multiple times and He never failed. All you’ve lost start to feel so inconsequential when you begin to reap the rewards of your steadfastness. He fills the emptiness when everyone is gone. The love He shows when you are feeling unloved? Trust me when I say, I’ve heard countless people tell me they love me and it meant nothing close to when God says He loves me. It’s a feeling I can’t describe. His love is better than all the world can give (It just makes me teary eyed). When the world says good job it means nothing, when God says good job, my heart swells so much it aches in a good way. You now have courage to realize your dreams because you are not working for approval; you are working from His approval. Just you and God now, Whole! Knowledgeable about seasons and times, knowing that every opposition you face, every loss, every pain, it will pass. Even in the midst of your unanswered desires, you are not forsaken (emotionally abandoned) During this times, He is even closer than ever. Isn’t it crazy? That the narrow and tough road leads to God? On the way, the kinds of relationships, you will attract on your journey are other people on their journey to wholeness as well. It’s ok if you don’t finish with the people you started with because to do destiny, you can’t live in yesterday.

What I am trying to say respectfully to those platitudinous posters is that, this journey is tough, you will triumph and fall and you will never attain until you reach the pearly gates and God says well done. But till then, it’s a push and a press and you have to go through a lot, so when you count the cost and your loss, you will know God was and is worth it.

Tomorrow’s freedom is today’s surrender