Living It Out Under Instruction – III

To be blessed is to receive everything you need for success including chastisement and failure – Daddy

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Image courtesy of Wilson Mrema Kyalo

Image courtesy of Wilson Mrema Kyalo

When Daddy said this the last time we spoke I was flustered. I walked out because I couldn’t wrap my mind around this statement. For days, I rolled the thought around my head and I couldn’t really find an explanation for it. Daddy always says that if you cannot understand something the first time, you should take it back to God and have a candid conversation with Him. So after a few days of thinking and figuring I decided to have that candid conversation with God because I desperately needed answers.

Dear Father,

Daddy, says to ask You any question I cannot answer and I guess even the ones that I can answer still need a candid conversation with You. So here I am today asking something I can’t seem to wrap my mind around.

How can it be that blessing can include chastisement and failure? How can it be that the road to success in You could lead down a road contrary to what I want to have and the success I desire? I’m so confused after that.

I have always been taught and believed that if I do all the things You say in Your word things will automatically be well with me. Did I get that wrong? Have I believed in a lie? How do I find the place of peace and grace in the middle of this walk? I feel like I am lost and stuck in rut and I cannot get out. Is the rut a figment of my imagination or is it a real rut that You have created to get me out of the place I am stuck?

I need help. I desperately need help to work this out before my mind blows. Help me Lord for I don’t know how to get out of here. Please help me.

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The Bible came alive with stories of people who went through hard times and in the end the plan of God was evident and accomplished. There was Joseph, Abel, Job, Esther, Mordecai, Hosea, Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego, Paul and even Jesus. Suddenly it hit me like a tonne of bricks. Everyone who walked with God had some really hard times in their lives but had remained steadfast to the call of God upon their lives.

Image courtesy of Wilson Mrema Kyalo

Image courtesy of Wilson Mrema Kyalo

The story in Esther chapter 3 & 4 caught my attention afresh. Haman had risen in the ranks to be a highly respected member of the king’s court; however he was plagued by very deep self-esteem issues. He was feared and by the King’s decree all the people bowed to pay him homage as he passed. His deepest desire was to be honoured and respected above all regardless of whether it was needed or not. That is, all except one measly Jew who wouldn’t move when Haman passed by. The people chided Mordecai for not bowing yet Mordecai simply wouldn’t break his faith. Haman’s friends incited him. They even placed bets to see how long this standoff between the two would last. Believe it or not it went on for twelve months…yes twelve months from the first day of the month of Nisan to the last day of the month of Adar. Everyday Haman passed and everyday Mordecai refused to rise. Everyday Haman got more enraged; everyday Mordecai retained his peace. This fuelled one of the greatest fits of rage on record and led to an edict that all Jews were ‘enemies of the state’ and deserved to die. Esther must now take the leap of faith and speak up for her people or risk certain death.

Right here, there is so much struggle and hardship it hit Jean right between the eyes. This couldn’t have been easy. Both Esther and Mordecai were fearful for their lives. Esther was realising that being in the palace was a blessing just as much as it was a source of trouble. Yet there was an opportunity for hope right in them middle of the death threats. Esther spoke up and the king gave her Carte Blanché in drafting the edict for the response of her people. Trouble? Yes. Blessing? Absolutely.

Image Courtesy of Wilson Mrema Kyalo

Image Courtesy of Wilson Mrema Kyalo

The blessing was on several fronts. First, they were challenged to choose God and their dedication to him. Second, it galvanised a nation of people together. Third, the source of trouble was out of the picture for good. Clearly, blessings include trials and struggles.

  • Were there people who had been through a lot to get to the end goal for God? Yes
  • Did they all go through the same process? No
  • Was the process important to the fulfilment of their purpose? Yes
  • Did they all understand the reason for the process? No
  • When things were hard did they give up? Almost but they all rallied to the call of God and in the end it all worked out.

It was clear that indeed there was a place for struggle, suffering, chastisement and great pain as part of being blessed. Even as the good is coming and is also a part of the process it is not everything and must never be touted as that.

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So many questions even fewer answers…

2 thoughts on “Living It Out Under Instruction – III

  1. Magdaline

    ……They even placed bets to see how long this standoff between the two would last. Believe it or not it went on for twelve months…yes twelve months from the first day of the month of Nisan to the last day of the month of Adar. Everyday Haman passed and everyday Mordecai refused to rise. ……..
    That part of the post just send me to re-read the book of Esther though i thought i knew all about the book of Esther. Keep it up Kyesubire you are an inspiration.

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