The atmosphere was charged; the church was
just rounding up a prayer session. Some muttered their supplications, while
others snapped their fingers continuously, emphasizing how desperately they desired
a change from God. She was decked in a body hugging but not hurting to the eyes
red dress; one that flattered her figure, making the Coca-Cola bottle seem like
an amateur. Pretty face, lovely accessories, and beautiful black shoes that
emphasized her endless toned legs. She
was all grace and looked like one who had a perfect a life; that fairytale life
from a Disney book. You remember right?
Like everyone else, she had been praying for
the past five minutes. She gripped the sit in front of her in a hunched
position, tapping her right leg intensely, her lips moving unceasingly and her eyes
shut tightly. Just as the prayers subsided,
a soft tune wafted from the keyboard. She had heard that tune before. A voice
of a young man pierced through the now silent crowd and began singing the words
of the song. Oh she knew that song so
well; word for word, ad lib for ad lib. She fell on her knees, bowed her head and
the tears began to flow, like a running tap with broken knob.
They didn’t look like tears of pain but
rather tears from a grateful heart, tainted with hope for the future. Her mind
drifted far into a dark place she used to be when she first heard the song, now
the congregation was singing with so much enthusiasm; hands where raised in surrender,
some faces looked up in expectation, while some were too emotional to sing.
Every line in the song spoke to someone in the crowd and with the way they
chanted, you could tell they were holding on to the reassuring words. Oh she
knew the feeling so well!
Her mind wandered again to that dark place,
where she felt hopeless and alone. Where nothing seemed to move and the nights
where welcomed with teary eyes and drenched pillows. A place where laughter was
a luxury she couldn’t afford. When she felt like her prayers weren’t answered
or God was upset about something she did and was paying her back by not giving
her attention (very funny). The job was nothing to write home about, the
relationship she had worked so hard for had fallen apart for no good reason. She
had lost her dad when she needed him the most.
Friends were too busy with their blessed lives to even look her way, so
she thought.
Yes she was desperately looking for
happiness, she tried everything, but they left her empty and dry. “Maybe
I will just lock myself up and cry myself to death” she said; but she had
gotten to a point where the tears had gone cold. She was empty! Then she lost the job. It was like everything
was over! No job, No love and No self-worth. Her faith was far away at this
point and she had gotten too tired to pray, too hurt to forgive and too bitter
to rejoice. She had nothing to look forward to every time the Sun rose; she
felt like she was drowning and gradually
losing the strength to keep her head above the raging water.
Out of the blue, a friend called to invite
her to church for midweek service, she said she wasn’t interested and besides
she hadn’t been to church in months. Her friend insisted, like that fly you
keep trying to swat for stressing you out. Reluctantly, she agreed to go. As
the pastor preached, her mind drifted far away, thinking about how she wished
things were different. “What happened to all the promises God made in Jeremiah
29:11”? she muttered. Too neck deep in thought to realize the message was over
and the worship leader was singing:
“God is able
to do, just what he said he will do; he’s gonna fulfill every promise to you”
Don’t give
up on God, cause he won’t give up on you,
He’s able”!
She had
never heard the song before now, and didn’t understand why she felt drawn to
the words. The more they sang the chorus, the more she was desperate to know
about the song. Every time they sang “Don’t give up on God, cause he won’t give
up on you” she felt like she was being broken down and stripped bare.
Like something was happening on her inside, as her eyes moistened with tears. It
felt great to know that God wasn’t ready to give up on her; oh! it had never
crossed his mind to.
By the time she got home, she surfed frantically
on the net for the song, and couldn’t stop listening once she found it. Every
word brought healing and comfort with it, God was still going to do more than
she ever asked or thought. It was in that place, her mind took a turn for the
best and so did her life! Still on her
knees, her mind wandered back as she sang the song with gratitude. Three years
ago, God reminded her with this same song, that no matter how dark the cloud is,
he will always be there and every day brings her closer to the fulfilment of the
promises he made.
She was in a happy place, with so much hope
for the future; God is indeed able!
If you ever find yourself in a dark place,
don’t give up on GOD because he will take you through it and beyond! You may
not understand the whole plan and reason for the dark season, or the lessons
there-in. Whatever it is, just don’t
give up!
It is not really about the challenges we face, but the determination to keep hope alive!!!
Lots of Love :)
