There are times in the life of every human when things go wrong or not as expected. At such times, positive thinking and prayers may appear not to have been answered. Our desires and ambitions left unfulfilled leaves us sometimes weary and depressed. Questions such as why me or whom have I offended prop up in our heads with no answer in sight. If only we believe that everything works together for the good of those that trust in their God, our minds will not wander far or ask silly and rhetorical questions.
Few years ago, I applied for a position in a local council. By all standards, I was qualified and confident that I would scale through the selection process since I was already familiar with modus operandi of the organisation.
On the day of the interview, I answered all the questions posed at me with the interviewers nodding their heads and corroborating some of my responses. None, appeared displeased. I went home happy and elated I had the job in my kitty .Unfortunately, I didn't get it and was devastated. It was a job that I wanted not because it had better prospects but it was just a stone throw to my house. Two good factors for any employment I sought after. Three months down the line over three hundred staffers were laid off due to insolvency with the newest staff first to be served the bitter pill.This then brings me to the realisation that life is a process and not an event. Every process followed with lessons learnt brings about a reward.
Occasionally, when tragedies occur, we might want to ask why did such happen or why is it happening at a particular time or how is the tragedy a perfect outcome? That is, how is the loss of someone to illness, especially a young child considered a perfect outcome?How is the death of a breadwinner a blessing in disguise. These are reasonable questions that have plagued mankind for centuries. I don’t know why these events occur and why some people survive and others don’t. This dilemma has perplexed philosophers for ages. For now, let’s consider outcomes not as catastrophic, such as being passed over for a job promotion or your beloved no longer wanting to marry you. In these instances, there may be more that develops to unravel the story. Namely, something good can arise out of a seemingly undesirable situation if we are attentive and not consider the worst scenario.
I’ve witnessed this over and over in my lifetime that the best things that are meant for you will always find you. If you didn't get that job or disappointed by someone, just know that it is not meant to be and God knows best. His plans for you are good and will take you to an expected end.If it is not good then it is not the end.
Unfortunate or unforeseen events may turn out to be a wonderful blessing if we are patient and wait for the picture to unravel. For example, I recall working with a client whose fiancée decided to call off their wedding at the last minute after dating for years. The experience was heartbreaking since he never expected it, especially from his betrothed. After he recovered from the tragedy, he moved abroad for work where he enjoyed a wonderful time in his new surroundings. He met a beautiful woman and dated for a while before proposing to her and married soon after. He later mentioned to me that his previous breakup turned out to be the best thing to happen because it forced him to move to a foreign country and meet what he described as the love of his life.
Had he been caught up in a destructive pattern of self-pity, he would have never taken the chance and met his wife.
How about you, have you had similar experiences in your own life? Whilst it may not be relationship related, think about those experiences where it seemed hopeless, yet as time passed, it turned out to be the best thing to happen. To live without fear we ought to trust that every outcome serves a greater purpose in our life. Sometimes the answer may not come immediately because it involves going on a journey to discover it. Physical fear is natural and essential to our survival, but it’s important to remember that irrational fear is not. It is irrational to be afraid of what doesn’t exist. In fact, it can cause actual harm. And yet we’ve learned to let irrational fear shape our reality. We’ve learned to react emotionally in ways that other people do and to fear what we only imagine.
Whilst it is difficult to silence our fears, why not embrace and take action knowing whatever outcome transpires, it is perfectly arranged for our greater good. Acknowledge whatever unfolds knowing that everything will be okay because we have survived similar or worst experiences in the past.
Life isn’t so much about abandoning our fears but learning to embrace them in order to live boldly thereby strengthening our spiritual journey in Christ Jesus. It is like living with anxiety: one never completely overcomes it but learns to turn down the volume.
For many years especially among working couples, there have been disagreements owing to career pressure and lack of family time. Many couples and families hardly sit down to chat or pray. The pressure of life sends the wife out before the husband returns from work and the children are left at the mercy of family, friends, nanny or grandparents. The current lockdown owing to the corona virus pandemic presents an ample opportunity for families to chat,play and pray together.A time for hubands to help their wives with house chores while the children learn new cooking skills.
It is a time to revive hobbies and rekindle the things which the pressure of life made us jettison. Why not call that neighbour whom you've not seen in ages due to work demands or volunteer to assist those in self isolation to pick up grocery? The bigger picture is about humanity and vainness of the human pursuit of wealth and happiness.
In the midst of China's COVID-19 epidemic, the conditions for an unprecedented climate experiment have emerged.
Climate researchers can measure in real time what happens to carbon emissions when one of the world's largest economies is suddenly stalled, with entire cities locked down, highways emptied, airplanes grounded, factories shuttered and millions of people confined to their homes.
A continent away, from his base in Helsinki, Finland, Lauri Myllyvirta was able to piece together industry and financial data sources and satellite imagery to calculate the epidemic's impact on emissions: a decrease of about 25% in three weeks.His analysis showed how reduced demand for coal from Chinese power plants combined with the slowing of production in oil refineries and steel plants created a decline in the country's major industrial sectors.
"In terms of global emissions, it's the biggest story of the year. There's no question about that," he said.
"In terms of the absolute volume of emissions, this is absolutely unprecedented," he said.
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