When I gave it all up for this Christ walk, the idea was that my life will be all good and happy, one that would grant me all my hearts desires. I never thought of the storms, the rains, the valleys or the mountains. Every time someone spoke the words ‘there is everything in God’ , I thought my life would be just like that, with everything given to me every and any time I so wish. But contrary to my understanding then, I was caught off guard when challenges and hardship started hitting me hard! It is then that I began to question life. Why do we go through difficult and trying situations if indeed our God is a mighty and awesome God? How do I withstand the season of challenges, storms, mountains and valleys in this life?
Many people are like me, they tend to give themselves hope that the ‘all in Christ’ means that we do not have to go through some trials, hardships and temptations. We never look at these different situations to transform and elevate us to different and higher levels. We get too comfortable in a certain position and want to dwell in it for as long as the comfort gets warmer and warmer. My problem today is that we staying in one level for too long. Let us allow God to elevate us. Transformation is a qualitative change; qualitative is an adjective taken from the noun quality and quality is a degree or grade of excellence or worth. To be promoted from one level of success to another is what we want but ignorantly do not approve of. When I say we ‘do not approve of’ I mean we are not inclined towards getting or having the quality of life we dream of.
Not every wish was meant to come true, not every one of those wishes we wish to achieve will come to pass. In our walk with Christ let us expect the hard times to hit us. Let us expect to have the winds blowing us to either direction and in the darkest of the valleys you are the one expected to make a light and make a way. In as much as these hard times hit you so hard, they are the ones that strengthen you and make you a better person. As these hard situations rock one’s boat, the rain of blessings will keep raining on us every single moment we are lost, confused and self destructed. As we are crossing the rivers, climbing the mountains and getting warm for the cold weathers let us remember, he has never forsaken us. These situations are just there to a make better people out of us no matter how ‘impossible’ it may be often times.
I am reminded of a story about Jesus and his Disciples recorded in Mark 4 v 35, that day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. As they were crossing over to the other side of the river, to face new challenges, to meet different people with different situations and to a totally different place they had to weather the storm. Wherever we are, we are bound to face trying situations, we are bound to breathe on a different breath in a different atmosphere. But now let us be ready to face new tests that will transform us into becoming better people and elevate us to unique levels. Remember, as an individual, whatever life throws at you is not more than you can bear. The truth is that one’s strength (success) is determined by how much weight (challenges) they can handle.
The journey begins with you pulling through each challenge you encounter, so please don’t pull out halfway, you are too strong for that. God Bless.
Let the mystery unveil…
Pamela ‘Chido’ Mkhonta
Note: Chido is one of the longest serving members of VOG and is writing for us every week as a guest blogger. She is also a graphic designer and semi-professional soccer player of repute as she currently captains Swaziland’s senior ladies soccer team. However the views expressed in this article are personal opinions/views in her walk with Jesus Christ.
