APPOINTMENTS WITH DISAPPOINTMENT

Disappointments are inescapable appointments in life. Why do we have to face them? Often, dashed hopes, shattered dreams, and unmet expectations summon us to change directions so we can get on the right track. Setbacks are also useful for the trial and exercise of our courage and faith in God. Though painful, a blessed disappointment is when God allows our plans to fail, so His plans for us might succeed. Our disappointments are His appointments to transform our bitterest moments into occasions of great significance. Be sure to honor all your appointments with disappointment, for we sometimes have to be disappointed in order to be appointed for our unique purpose. (Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:28, 35-39; Hebrews 10:35).—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

WORRY IS BLIND

     Worry is shortsighted and blind, but faith has vision. One unknown source gives a breakdown of what the average person worries about:  40% focus on things that will never happen, 30% deal with the past that can't be changed, 12% concern criticism by others, mostly untrue, 10% relate to health, which worsens with anxiety, and only 8% are about legitimate concerns that require action. Statistics aside, the observation confirms that worry is an exercise in futility. There are two things we should never worry about: (i) things we cannot change and (ii) things we can change. Think about it! Then listen to these wise sayings:
     “Worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere” (English proverb). "Worrying is so dumb. It's like carrying an umbrella waiting for it to rain" (Unknown). “What worries you masters you” (Haddon W. Robinson). “Worrying is like paying a debt you don’t owe” (Mark Twain). “Worrying does not...

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THE OPPORTUNITY OF PAIN

     We don’t own our pain. It’s for public service. Whether it’s sorrow, hurt, regret, disappointment, afflictions, persecution, or some other form of suffering, our pain is never an end in itself. It’s an invitation to serve.
     Life has no safe harbors against pain. Thus, as long as we live we shall have the privilege of meeting pain—our own share of pain. When encountered, true pain needs no introduction, for it is its own introduction. And when pain greets us with its commanding presence, it also whispers its royal mission: It’s our pain that equips us to empathize with those who go through similar things we’ve experienced. It is what most qualifies us to comfort those who’re hurting. And it’s that which gives us the credibility to speak to a suffering world.
     Thank God for the pain in your life. Hard as it might be to believe, the more you hurt the nearer God is. Through your pain, He can do far more with you, and bring out of you a far better person...

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EMPATHY, NOT APATHY (Indifference: Evil with An Innocent Face)

     “Do not fear your enemies. The worst they can do is kill you. Do not fear friends. At worst, they may betray you. Fear those who do not care; they neither kill nor betray, but betrayal and murder exist because of their silent consent” (Bruno Jasienski). “Those who don’t care” show a lack of interest, concern, or sympathy. Indifference or apathy is a conscious choice to do nothing or say nothing when things are not right.  It is a refusal to act in the face of injustice or need. 
     Indifference is more hurtful than hate; it’s evil with an innocent face. “Indifference is the world’s worst poison” (Kofi Annan, Nobel peace laureate and former UN Secretary General). "Indifference is the sign of sickness, a sickness of the soul more contagious than any other" (Elie Wiesel, Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor). Similarly, George Bernard Shaw, a recipient of Nobel prize for literature, added this: “The worst sin against...

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THE POWER OF TOGETHERNESS (WE THE WE)

      It’s never well when “I” thinks it's “We.” When a single note believes it’s the orchestra, and when “We the people” is interpreted to mean “I am the we.” The lure to “go my separate way” or “do my own thing” is the ailment of our time—whether in the home, society, church, or United Nations. Something is wrong when the ignorance of “I” boasts of its wisdom; when self-centered rebellion usurps unity and togetherness; and when the delusion of lone-rangerism claims enlightenment. Even God is a team of Three; Creation is a “let us” event; and the joy of Eden is a complementarity of the “we” of Adam and Eve. In the words of Malcolm X, “When ‘i’ is replaced with ‘we’ even illness becomes wellness.”
     Let's redeem the “we,” through the power of togetherness. For, as the African writer Chinua Achebe aptly explains: “When we gather together in the moonlight village ground, it is not because of the moon. Every man can see it in his own compound. We...

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GETTING EVEN IS NEVER EVEN

     Revenge may feel right and even seem justified, but it’s damaging to us and the people we love. When, as a child, I bore a grudge or was tempted to retaliate for some unfairness or injustice, my mother would say: “An enraged mother hen who throws her eggs at a hawk for snatching one of her chicks only hurts herself the second time.” Getting even—vengeance, tit-for-tat, “an eye for an eye”—is never even. It inflicts more pain upon us than upon those who have hurt us. Rather than bring closure, revenge keeps the wounds open and fresh, and inflicts new injuries. 
     Sir Francis Bacon said, "In taking revenge a man isn’t even with his enemy, he is only as low as they. But in passing over it he becomes superior, for it is a prince’s part to pardon."  “There’s no revenge so complete as forgiveness” (Josh Billings).
     Have you been wronged or wounded? Defrauded or taken advantage of? Have you been slandered, and your good reputation ruined? Has anyone in any...

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CRAZY TO BELIEVE IN SOMETHING?

     For its 30th anniversary of the “Just Do It” slogan, Nike, the American multinational shoes and clothing company, launched a new advertising commercial this week (on September 5, 2018).  The ad, which features many athletes from different walks of life, is narrated by an outstanding, but politically controversial, US footballer. It opens with these daring words:
     “If people say your dreams are crazy. If they laugh at what they think you can do, good! Stay that way. Because what non-believers fail to understand is that calling a dream crazy is not an insult, it’s a compliment.” The Nike commercial then builds up to these punchy lines: “Don’t believe you have to be like anybody, to be somebody…. Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything…. So don’t ask if your dreams are crazy. Ask if they’re crazy enough.” And just as the narration ends, the following words and the Nike logo are flashed on the screen: “It’s crazy enough until you...

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INDELIBLE IMPRINTS

   Recent deaths of some close personal friends and certain influential leaders have challenged me anew to ask questions about the people I greatly admire: Who do I consider as my heroes, why do I embrace them as such, and how do I best honor them? As I’ve reflected on these questions, I’ve discovered some common traits in their lives: 
   My heroes and heroines tend to be counter-cultural or non-conformists. Because they know who they are, what they stand for, and why they were born, they refuse to go along in order to get along. They are daring, hard working, and exceling. They sacrifice and risk their lives for causes bigger than themselves. They're humble in their accomplishments, generous in their giving, and respectful and kind even to their adversaries. 
   The two words that best describe my true heroes are “silent sufferers.” They bear pain patiently, without grudge or complaint. Often, on account of their forgiving spirit, they are perceived as fools and are...

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DEATH FOR MY ENEMY

Have you ever wished death for your enemy—the one who deeply hates you and has persistently tried to destroy you? Have you ever sought the worst punishment upon this mortal enemy who has inflicted so much pain, sorrow, and grief upon you and your loved ones? I must confess that I have, but the enemy I have in mind is Death itself. I have wished the death of Death. Yes, Death is my enemy. Our enemy. From time to time—nay, time after time—we are reminded that Death is a very cruel enemy. Once determined on taking life, there’s no amount of pleading, tears, or prayers that can change his heartless heart. What makes him peculiarly an enemy is how he deceitfully wormed his way into our lives. He fraudulently sneaked into our company through the window of sin. And ever since, he has spared no one. Not even the Prince of Life. (The irony is that Christ’s death was the means by which He defeated Death!) I’m comforted that when Jesus Christ comes to reign as King of kings and...

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SUICIDAL WOUNDS

The worst wounds that can ever be inflicted upon us are those we inflict upon ourselves by our decision not to forgive those who have wounded us. Unforgiveness is as dangerous as cancer. It eats away at us from the inside. It deprives us of our peace of mind. It holds us in perpetual bondage to the person who wounded us, and the Bible makes it clear that those who do not forgive will themselves not be forgiven by God (Matthew 6:14-15; 18:21-35). Thus, when we choose not to forgive—not to let go of—something that is eating us up, we commit spiritual suicide. And the suicidal wounds of unforgiveness can be fatal to the quality of our lives now and even affect our eternal destiny. We may not have had a choice over the actions of the people who inflicted painful wounds upon us. But we do have a choice over how we respond: We can either choose to forgive them or choose to remain in their bondage. And let’s not forget this: Jesus didn’t die for us alone, He also died for...

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