BEFORE YOU LAMENT, REMEMBER!!!

Amazingly, we are in July already and it wasn’t too long ago we were saying happy new year to each other and just like that six months are gone by wow!

If you are like me, I’m sure you’ll have gone through your goals for the year and checked the list to find out what has been done, which of the goals is in the works already and what is yet to be touched or attended to. And assuming you didn't set goals for the year and all you did was make New year resolutions and you seem not to have kept your promise to stick to your resolve (I’m sincerely hoping there are a few people that fall within this category, not that I wish you bad, but a little solidarity doesn't hurt hehehe) not to worry, you are not alone.

I did a double check yesterday, tried to evaluate the first half of the year in terms of some set targets that I had for myself. I broke it down into Spiritual, Financial, Social, Educational and Emotional, I don’t want to bore you with the details of that evaluation but though I had done exceptionally well in some areas, I had failed woefully in certain key areas.

So I sat down to carry out a diagnostic analysis of what went wrong and check why I was unable to even attempt to pursue some of the major goals for the year. As I broke it down, some negative emotions began to well up within me (that voice saying in a condemning tone; you could have done this or said this or made that phone call, or paid that visit, or submitted that proposal, it may vary what the voice may tell you but you have an idea what I’m talking about), unconsciously I was listening to that voice and gradually began to feel regret, remorse, anger, pain… and I was just about to lash out within me when that still small voice said “Before you lament, Remember”.

I stopped in my tracks and immediately entered auto-recall.

I thought about it, I didn't do as well as I had planned, but I didn't do badly either actually I over delivered in some areas. Some people started with me at the beginning of the year but today they are no more. I have not had any cause to be admitted in the hospital neither have I lacked food, clothing or shelter. Most of the things I own some people will kill, rob and commit fraud for. I have obtained favor in so many areas I cannot even remember them all. This year alone I have met with and robbed minds with some very influential people in both the business world and ministry, I have formed new alliances that pose tremendous potentials and assuming none of that was worth anything, I am alive and well today. Wow!!!

So I throw it back to you, I know you wanted to be married by now, I know you should have bought that car or built that house or gotten that job or gone for that course or started that business. There are so many things that you would have loved to do or have, you may even have planned for them but they are yet to materialize but just before you begin to lament and complain, I want you to take a little time and remember what you have.

You are alive, you are well, you can eat and sleep, you drive a car (maybe not but you can afford to take a cab or bus or bike), you live in a house and not the streets, your children are not wayward, they do well in school and even if you don’t have a child yet, you have a spouse that loves you (churches abound with people seeking life partners). You have a job (though it’s not your dream job but you have one), I could go on but I’ll like you to take some time to reflect on those things that you have and you are yet to show gratitude to God for. Before You Lament, Remember.

Yesterday I paid a visit to someone whose wife passed recently and it was an experience that will stay with me for a very long while. We need to be grateful for the things we have now while working on the things we seek to have, today is a definite tomorrow a mystery but the maker of the universe knows it all.

BEFORE YOU LAMENT, REMEMBER!

Stay Thankful.