As an African

My experience in life has been smooth. I had not placed much emphasis on Christ, religion or God until recently. I have studied and lived in the United States for over half my life. I went to the U.S. as a very young adult and lived fairly well under the circumstances. I had never had to worry for long about what and where my next meal would come from. I worked to pay for my tuition and attained a college degree and a masters at that too. I prayed sometimes, without giving much thought to what I prayed for.I figured once I did all that was expected of me, I will be successful. I guess life was all about me. In recent times, I have been wondering why my professional life did not get the jolt it needed and so much wanted until I started focussing on God.

You see, I studied Accounting, became a CPA, and got a masters degree in Tax Law. Each level, I suppose solid on it’s own. I should be wealthy with a thriving practice, but no!. Like the scriptures say, all things happen for the higher Glory of God. I moved to my motherland, and then things started unfolding. Every turn I took became a nightmare. There were thieves and liars lined up to make me shiver and cry. I finally got a business going, but that had it’s own challenges too. I could make money and loose it just as fast as I made the money.

As an African, every or maybe most misfortune is attributed to witches and wizards. My focus was on the evil spirit that turned my sweet grapes to sour grapes. I then started praying and rebuking the devil in all forms and shapes. A baptised and confirmed catholic with a strong presbyterian mother, I started worshipping in a charismatic church. Nothing wrong with that, except, my hopes were lifted beyond reason. The church’s concern was breaking the evil that bound my success in work. The church and its pastors focus was for me to make an offering for God to “open the way for me”. I started wondering why there was no issue on my behavior but rather to pay and get my way. The money factor became too much someone who had been deceived in so may forms and shape that I had to leave the charismatic arena.

I could write a book on my experiences but the long and the short of it is that I kept talking about the witches who had destroyed my money and plans until a friend suggested that, maybe, it weren’t witches and that I should consider forgiveness of sins and building my faith in Christ. Honestly, I lost sleep all night wanting to talk further to this friend who was at a different time zone. It literally hit me like a ton of bricks. My focus changed altogether as to how my prayers should be like. I read the word and meditated on it for true understanding. The simple prayer we all take for granted “the Lord’s prayer” got me started. I pondered on each sentence till it had true meaning to me. My sins are many and I continually sin, but by his Grace my life is changing.

How do I develop faith in God brought me to your sight. It is amazing how the Holy Spirit works. Now I have a full understanding of when God love’s you, he disciplines you. God will bring you to the lowest lows for you to get his attention. He is a God of restoration and the kind of faith I have tells mee that he has done a lot for me and my family. My question was answered when I looked back on how he had given life back to my brother who was almost 50/50 life or death matter, to a sister who struggled to have a child, to a cousin’s son who was virtually dead and brought back to life. All these did not just happen by sleeping, but by the family having God on our minds and constantly praying. I asked how you develop faith and I realised I did not have to go to the scriptures to know He exists.

He has watched over me throughout the years and he will continue to do so. Now I am building a true relationship with him and I know he will hear my prayers because He’s listened before and will contnue to listen. I pray for the spirit of doubt to leave me. As I write I see my new successes in business, with people, with the church and in Christ. I know that I will die in Christ because he is greater than any spirit. I figured, he is good that is why he is worshipped openly in public and what is bad is what is done secretly in the dark.

All who yearn for God must wait patiently to see him perform his miracles. I am going to ask for the impossible becasuse it is possible with Him. I am not daring God but my faith as I think it is, is developing and I know that I will be answered because from now on, there is nothing worth doing than building my faith in God.