THE SEEMINGLY GOOD ALTERNATIVES
I was on a BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) queue sometimes ago in Lagos. I had waited for over an hour already, if not more than two hours after a very long day. My legs were paining and the yellow-painted transport buses were simply not an option at that time because of the heavy traffic. Suddenly, people started creating a “pseudo queue” different from the main queue and were rapidly entering the BRT buses, so I thought to join but the Holy Spirit gently said, stay! But the pseudo queue kept moving and the original queue was completely static. Out of impatience, I left for the pseudo queue! Alas! By the time I got there it had stopped moving and the original queue which I left started moving fast. The pain of regret overwhelmed me. Trust me, pain of regret is far worse than suicide. I felt so bad, not because of the now moving queue, but for disobeying the Holy Spirit thinking I knew better. I felt naturally, that I will not be accepted on the queue again since I did not tell anyone I was coming back but the Holy Spirit said to me, “go back to the original queue.” Lo and behold, I was permitted! Who would have imagined?
He is not just a God of second chances but of many chances. A thousand times I have failed, but God’s mercies still remains. This is not a license to take His grace or mercy for granted but an assurance that God never gives up on us. Nothing can ever separate us from God’s love.
I wrote in the first post that I knew where my PPA (Primary Place of Assignment) will be. The Lord confirmed it again while I was in camp. Few days to the end of camp, a very good friend of mine called me with such great intention. She knew the man in charge of posting people to their PPAs and she thought it wise to do me a favour so that I will be afforded the chance to choose wherever I wanted in Edo State for my PPA. BLANK CHEQUE, you think? Not every opportunity is God’s leading. Not every open door is from God. She had good intentions but it was not part of God’s plan.
When Sarah offered her maid, Hagar to Abraham (Genesis 16:3) , it seemed like a good option but it was not God’s option. Before you embrace every new opportunity or walk through an open door, always discern if it’s from God. Speed in the wrong direction is the same as being stagnant.
I got to this chosen PPA which I selected based on my will and everything about it was not right. The surrounding circumstances were so discouraging. I asked myself, ‘what am I doing here?’. Ignorance is better than knowing the truth and heading the wrong path, the pain of regret made me cry. I quickly put myself together and searched within me if I was to stay or leave. Right there I prayed, “sweet Holy Spirit, I know I got myself into this but I’m sorry, help me out of here.” It seemed impossible at first because my letter had been stamped. I was expected to resume immediately. Few minutes later, a woman walked up to me and asked if I was okay. I told her I did not want to be here, she willingly offered to help. Straightaway, she met with the director of administration and I was permitted to leave.
I was told I will be posted to another place. I later found out that the new place was not where God showed me. I stood up that same morning, worshipped and danced like I got where I wanted already. You should read my post on REJOICE! (Here are the links; REJOICE and REJOICE -2) I danced like God had settled it which indeed He had. Satan brought thoughts like your disobedience got you here, but I chose to rejoice like it was done already.
To cut the long story short, my camp clinic director found out the place was not so okay and took it upon herself to see that I was posted to a better place and eventually it was the initial place God revealed to me. God indeed is faithful! Here I am, writing this post in that very place.
Lessons learnt
- He is the God of many chances.
- God’s mercies are unending but don’t take it for granted. The cost of disobedience is very expensive, you do not want to know how stressful it was, changing local governments, moving up and down when your mates were already settled. Going from one office to another to sign or pick up a letter. It was tiring! But I am happy God remains faithful even when we deny Him. His mercies are unending, they are new every morning.
- No matter how long you have walked on the path of disobedience, it is never to too late to turn back. Madness is simply speed in the wrong direction. God was merciful to Abraham and to me. Yours will not be an exception.
God loves you.
My Camp experience continues later. There are some testimonies I will share in the course of this one year journey. So much in two months, I’m sure the next ten months will be awesome.