This time, it will be different

September 28, 2014 by Phyllis 9 Comments

This piece is dedicated to all those that are reaching up higher, looking up and working toward things greater than them in spite of being pulled down, right left and center people, circumstances and the past.

Listen up; my friend shares his story.

I’m a great guy, I think. I’m not perfect but I try to stay out of big trouble. My small sister says I’m the most handsome guy in the world and I choose to believe her. I’m told I had refused to come out a birth. Mom really suffered, huffing and puffing and pushing but it was too comfortable and I tried to hold on to the wall but after a while, I was overpowered and I was thrust into the world. I came out screaming at the top of my lungs. My mom didn’t take that episode lightly and she never let me forget it. She told everyone about it.

Most of my life, I always felt held back. Somehow things never added up. I would read, be confident in exams but I never got the A. I even helped my classmates and they passed better than I did. I started a small business but it’s not making much progress; seems like its plagued by bad luck or something. In spite of my efforts and hard work, somehow I don’t achieve as much as I worked for.

I pray a lot but it seems like I have a half blessing; when I can read the word, I can’t pray. When I have a girlfriend, no money; when she flew out, I got a great job. I try so hard but it seems like my efforts are not good enough, I’m not top of the line.

Everything around me seems to scream ‘You’re Average! You’re good but not quite.’

This is very scary. I’m ready to work hard but I’m discouraged. I couldn’t stand to fail again. I’m afraid I might never fully achieve my dreams in life. I can’t stand to think that I’ll have to settle for what I get rather than get what I want. The worst part is that I feel held back by something I have no control over.

If God asked, “What can I do for you?” I have a list;

_I would like to break out of my past bad record of unfulfilled dreams and frustration; Lord help me.

_So far, I have worked so hard and not achieved much. I feel I could be so much more!  I need YOUR BLESSING.  

_Allow me to see what You see in me; my potential. Allow me to know why You created me; my purpose. I’m confused by all the voices of people around me. Allow me to spend my life living my purpose and achieve my highest potential.

_Keep me from problems, pain, hurt, and all these issues that seem to follow me everywhere. 

 Will it really happen?

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; but his mother named him Jabez ‘because I bore him in pain’ Jabez cried out to the God of Israel saying, Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that Your Hand might be upon me, and you would keep me from pain. And God granted his request.   1 Chronicles 4: 9-10

God has done it before, He can do it again. Yes for you, He can do it for you.

 Do not remember the former things…..Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43: 18-19

It will be different!