gracetidings:with dr doug mamvura
It is amazing how some of us are failing to realise that time is a non-renewable resource, once it is gone that is it. I have seen some single people on social media expressing boredom and some even telling the whole world that they would rather focus on non-value adding and reprehensible behaviour some of which would blister my tongue if I was to mention it. What a waste!
Did you know that Isaac Newton was quarantined during the plague, and instead of complaining about it, he used that time to become one of the world’s leading experts on gravity? What do you think you could do with that kind of time? Separation might not be a bad thing after all!
Sir Isaac Newton also had to practice social distancing during the Great Plague of London. As the pandemic took many lives, he and other students were asked to leave their college in Cambridge and study at home without supervision. It was during that time that he formulated early calculus and his theories on optics, gravity, and motion. After a year-plus of working in isolation, Isaac Newton emerged a genius!
While you might not be in total isolation, most of us have unexpectedly found ourselves in restricted situations. This is an excellent time to grow and develop in ways that we might not have otherwise.
After a year-plus of working in isolation, Isaac Newton emerged a genius! What the enemy meant for evil was turned around for good.
Another great example of a person who thrived in isolation was the Apostle Paul. He wrote four books of the New Testament from a confined situation — prison.
Those letters, written to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, are now referred to as “the Prison Epistles”. One of them, his letter to the Philippians, has more references to joy and rejoicing than any of his other letters! Likewise, the Apostle John saw visions and wrote the book of Revelation while in exile on the island of Patmos.
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I believe one of the areas that has been ignored by the church, neglected by the church, sidelined by the church is the issue of affliction, suffering and trials. We deliberately ignore this area because once we start sharing such a message, this may affect church attendance, thereby impacting on our tithes and offerings. We would rather focus on messages that soothe the conscience of our congregants such as prosperity gospel or motivational preaching which is laced with human wisdom lacking the power of the true Gospel.
We have made people believe that once they are born again, they are set and there will not be any trials and tribulations. Instead they should just look forward to a trouble-free life which is upward and forward only and no humps on the way. It is all about “claiming and grabbing” that which God has in store for us. Sadly, our congregants are facing various trials and tribulations and when they see what they are going through, they can’t reconcile with our messages that we preach in our churches. They begin to question themselves: “What is wrong with me? May be, I have not given enough tithes. Or maybe I didn’t participate in the church fasting that was announced by the man of God or it is because I have been praying for only 10 minutes instead of a minimum of two hours as directed by the bishop or prophet or pastor?”
To make matters worse, at times, some preachers take advantage of this situation and reinforce that self-condemnation by our church members. We tell them God is teaching you a lesson because you have not been bringing tithes and offerings or because you have not been praying long enough.
If this is the kind of counsel you are getting from your so- called man of God, run with your life before it is too late. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is not our behaviour that brings the goodness of God. He died for you while you were still a sinner.
Our Lord Jesus Christ warned us in John 16:33: “In this world you will have trials and tribulations but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.” In addition, the bible says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalms 34:19). Please note, the bible says “Many”. So, preachers please don’t mislead God’s people. Tell them the truth.
Apostle Peter was aware of this: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test you (that is to test the quality of your faith), as though something strange or unusual were happening to you. But insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, keep on rejoicing so that when His glory (filled with His radiance and splendour) is revealed you may rejoice with great joy.” (1 Peter 4:12 – 13) Apostle Peter is saying there is nothing unusual with trials and tribulations and yet this is how most of us feel these days. We feel like it is alien or strange mainly because of some of the teachings we are getting from our churches. Dear brother or sister, I have news for you: Whether you like it or not you are going to face trials and tribulations as long as you are in this world. Look at people like Joseph, David, or Paul and all the disciples what they went through and how some of them died. Our Lord Jesus Himself, though He is God, went through trials, tribulations and temptations just like you and I and this is why He is able to sympathise with us.
Paul kept rejoicing in the midst of his tribulations and trials. At one stage he called them “light afflictions”. He says: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Let us examine these “light afflictions”; “three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have been in the deep, in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger, and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness — besides the other things, what comes upon me daily— my deep concern for all churches” (2 Corinthians 11:25 -28).
I don’t know who among any believers has experienced worse situations than Apostle Paul and yet he called this “light afflictions”.
Beloved, this world is full of challenges and the earlier we accept that the better for us so we will not have any surprises. I don’t know who has had it in this world nice and easy all the time. I really would like to meet that person.
l Dr Doug Mamvura is a graduate of Charis Bible School. Feedback: [email protected] or Twitter @dougmamvura
