The Unseen…
After my divorce, I was able to complete my Diploma in Social Work in 2001 because my father (bless his heart) decided to pay the tuition fees. I was desperate to find a job so I could cease burdening my father’s humble pension beyond what he had done for me. I secured a job at Karatina in Nyeri County working with women groups during their monthly table banking (Ngumbato) sessions. The default title I was given by the clients was “mwalimu” (teacher). I did not understand why they called us teachers yet the work we did was not close to teaching. ” Clerk” would have been a more suitable title because I assisted the groups officials in keeping proper financial records and chased after loan defaulters. I worked there for a year and then I was summary dismissed when my mother got admitted in hospital with cancer of the bone marrow (Multiple Myeloma). In the beginning of my engagement, I was so glad and happy that I was finally independent and no longer a burden to my parents. I was so elated that I now had my own “house” and I was alone and free. It did not matter that I started by sleeping on a mattress without a bed, and that I shared toilets and bathroom with other tenants. The job entailed walking very long distances under the hot sun or under severe cold and rain. Karatina is in the Mt. Kenya region so in the mornings it was exceptionally cold. The freedom I enjoyed was enough motivation to keep me going despite the harsh climatic conditions. After a while, the trekking started taking a toll on me. I found myself despairing, wondering if this is all I was going to do for a living. Daily, on my shoulder hang a bag holding one and some times two A4 size hard cover books and the longer I walked, the heavier the load got. As I walked, I would sometimes cry, pleading with God to get me through each step and to open doors to more enjoyable work. I was my own cheering squad and in as much as I could not imagine what else I was going to do beyond the current job, I knew God was hearing my pleas. At some point my only prayer was for car because I had walked for many months and I had enough of it. I would laugh at myself at times when I would be walking and a squirrel crosses the road from the left side to the right side and then I shout “hey, cross again, that is bad luck for me you fool!!”. I needed good luck to get out of this job!! In that obscurity, I did not see beyond my own misery. I clearly did not have an idea of what I now know with hindsight. So much has taken place since May 2003 when I lost my job. I was able to get a job in an international agency 5 months after my dismisal and 4 months after my mom passed on (RIP mom).
Even today, I find myself struggling with “the unseen”. I am sure I am not the only one in this endless cycle. Even though the children of Israel had had enough of slavery in Egypt, when Moses came to rescue them, the unseen, the unknown posed a great challenged to them. They complained, grumbled, and at one point they smelted all the gold they had and made a god out of it because they still were clueless of what God was planning for them in the unseen realms. The reasons why we are unable to see beyond the unseen where God is because we are accustomed to focusing mainly on the problem itself and not on God’s promises. Satan knows this very well so he sneaks into our minds and begins his machinations of planting the seeds of doubt in our heats. His whisper is loudest especially when we are hard pressed by challenges. He relentlessly tells us how we are doomed and how our problem is permanent. He quickly tells us how we are a big disappointment to God and therefore we are on your own. James 1: 2-4 tells us that we should count it all joy when we fall into different temptations because our faith, once having overcome the temptations, our patience will have been perfected. We are not the first to be tempted anyway. Jesus too was tempted by satan while in the last leg of his 40 days fasting in the wilderness. If devil has the guts to tempt God, who are we not to be tempted? Our attitude towards challenges must remain focused on successfully overcoming and triumphing over all of them. The word of God encourages us in 2 Corinthians 4:18 – “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Psalms 29:18 “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.”
When trials come, cease the habit of abandoning God’s promises because no matter how big the challenge may appear to you, the problem is not permanent. It too shall pass. Desist from making impromptu decisions for this makes things worse. Ask God to help you resolve the matter in the best way. Ask for wisdom to know how to apply the knowledge you already have to handle the challenges. Always remember that satan uses discouragement as a weapon to stop us from seeing the power of faith as the winds to sail us through any temptation or tests. Deepak Chopra says, “Gratitude opens the door to the power, the wisdom, the creativity of the universe.” Recently I decided to be grateful even after not receive a letter I was anxiously waiting for. When I found an empty and cold post box, I decided to praise my Father by declaring that He was still on the seat of power and He was aware of what was delaying the response I so desperately need. I resigned myself to His will and surrendered my own will. Two days after, I felt the urge to call a lady I had not talked to in a while. She was amazed that I called her because it not a thing I do often. As we talked about many things, I mentioned the issue of the letter that has taken longer than normal to come through my post box address. Immediately an answer to the possible reason to the delay of my letter was revealed. She told me that that department in question does not respond using P.O. Box addresses but it recognizes physical addresses. I am now confident that once I correct this error, my letter will come without further delay. I knew there and then that God had caused me to call her so I could get the message He had deposited in her for me. I had chosen to see beyond the unseen and see God doing what only He can do. When our praises go up, His glory comes down for sure. I encourage you and I to praise through our most trying times no matter how demotivated we may feel. It is not easy but I have heard from God when I have praised Him when I had nothing to praise and worship about. Start to praise now oh child of the living God. Praise Him in the morning, praise Him in the noon time and praise Him in the evening. Let God manifest His grace and power in your life even when you cannot see the beginning and the end of your tribulations. He is able to do more than we could ever ask for. Let us see beyond Coronavirus (Covid-19). Let us see God doing a new thing in our lives. I leave you with lyrics of the song “I will dance” by Ron Kenoly……..