Photo adapted from mils from Pinterest.com
“From the days of John the Baptist up until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent taketh it by force.“
This has to be one of the most quoted scriptures I know. Although I don’t think I ever really understood the meaning and significance of the passage up until now. And He has been taking me through a journey on it, which I am about to share with you.
One thing I know about this God is that He always makes promises. From Abraham to King David, to Moses, to Jacob, to Israel, to Jesus, to me, and even to you. One promise I find particularly striking is Jesus’ charge to His followers. It says, “And surely, I am with you, to the very end of the ages.” Different scholars estimate that the promises within the bible range between 3000 to 8000, and that is quite a large amount.
Thinking about it in this light almost makes it feel as though, since He has promised, it is or should be automatically ours. Which is absolutely not wrong. But like Paul said in 1 Corinthians 16, “A great and effectual door is open unto me, but there are many adversaries”. This emphasizes warfare quite severely, and it is something we tend to overlook- it will always be necessary to profusely and profoundly refuse to be cheated, spiritually and in every other area of life.
I always used to be that person who would be silent when things didn’t follow order or my expectations. I would always give up on things and people easily, and then I would console myself with the fact that if God wanted me to have it, it would fall into my lap. Mehn… that mentality has really cost me.
I was engaged in a competition. I was selected as a participant, and the prize was set from the very beginning. It was something that I had really wanted. Before I even started preparing for the quiz, I prayed, and I told God that I wanted to win this thing, and He gave me the assurance that I would. I PREPARED HARD for this thing.
The event came, and my team was acing the questions, and I could already see myself holding the wonderful prize in my hands. I was already living the prophecy, ohh!!!! My mind had orchestrated how I would react and implement the prize. Other teams had dropped out, and we were just two teams left. We were in a tie, and the reality of holding my precious prize in my hand was fast coming to light. Until a split second changed the course of everything.
During the tie-breaker session, a simple question was asked. My team said the answer twice before the options were completed. Our equipment was off, so the audience couldn’t hear that we had answered. For some reason, the game master didn’t pay us any attention. We kept silent, and then the other team answered much, much later than us. They were heard. When it was time to decide the winner, they caused a disruption, saying it should be rightfully theirs.
My team and I, on the other hand, for some very strange reason, stood there in silence. Not contesting our rights. Not disputing. Just silently spectating. Eventually, they were declared the winners, and it was as though I was jolted back to reality with a hot, searing iron piercing my chest, and a shower of frozen water washing all over me.
I was super and terribly disappointed. Of course, I went back to God. I asked and lamented.
I told Him, “You said I had it already. I prepared for it. It is even rightfully and justly ours since we got and said the correct answer initially. Why then did it not turn out the way you said it would?. Why don’t I carry the desire I had prayed and prepared for?”
In a moment of stillness and pain, He said to me…
(See you in the next episode…)
Your Beloved Partner in Growth,
xoxo P.
