Lesson 1: All things work together for good

All things work together for good to them that love God (Romans 8:28)

I am a Christian, therefore I strongly believe that God is in complete control of every aspect of my life. This meant that the first lesson I had to come to terms with post the Break Up (BU) was that; despite all the hurt and pain that I was feeling; all things would work together for good!!

 Now, I had people repeat this verse to me constantly to encourage me, but honestly at that time I simply was not feeling to hear it. I could not comprehend how it was possible for all the drama and emotions I went through to somehow work together for good. However, it has been a few months since the BU and although it is a lesson that I am still learning, I am slowly starting to see how all that I went through is coming together in accordance to Gods will for my life.

 Romans 8:28 is a verse that is applicable to every single difficult situation that you or I may face. I have started to apply it to even the smallest annoying things that may happen in my day. For example, if I miss my train (after making a Usain Bolt dash for it, it happens tut)instead of getting angry I just consider that there may have been some good reason for me to miss the train, therefore, glory be to God. I know it is so easy when going through, what I call the 'initial pain stage' to ask God 'WHY'.

That was me oh!! I am a rather dramatic individual. There I would be in my mums old African dress wailing 'Lord whyyyy Lord whyyy' hair in 'doodoo' plaits and legs akimbo...sigh memories lol.

I am sure God was just looking down at me and shaking his head bemused at my ungratefulness, knowing full well of what he had just delivered me from! And the better plan that he has in store for me. In response to one of my dramatic wailing sessions one of my male friends quipped - "I don't know why your acting like this and you are so sad over it!! I mean, God has saved you from something! If I was you I would be rejoicing" whilst another friend suggested that we should be doing a praise dance!!

At the time I couldn't comprehend how people could be so harsh and seemingly unsympathetic to my plight when I was hurting so badly. However, I have now realised that God truly always knows best. He knows the reason for why me and 'Charles' did not work out. Only He knows what my future with Charle's held, I only saw what I believed our future would have been like. Imagine, I never anticipated the Break Up to be as it was... so imagine the shocks and surprises I would have encountered if God permitted me to follow my own stubborn self will? Hm... I do not even want to imagine it...

I learnt from this that I had to stop leaning on my own understanding and believe that God, my heavenly father who knew me from when I was still a foetus in my mothers womb, who hears my every prayer and loves me unconditionally, has got my back and He is in control of my situation.

 All I need to do is trust Him, learn how to love him more and increase my faith in His word. It is so not easy, and some days I falter when the painful memories resurface. But I am working on it...

Love the Lord, and ALL things will work together for good.

                            Okan's Ife