Surprised by Joy

Are you offended?
Many of us are surprised, even offended, by life’s challenges.

But life is full of ….well, let’s call them surprises. Things just do not seem to go the way you plan, the way you want, the way you thought they would. And then the pain mounts up, and if we are not careful, so does melancholy and depression.

It is in this light that I am sometimes disturbed by some of the prosperity message we so often hear these days from the pulpit. Don’t get me wrong, mind. I fully believe The Message of prosperity (am I not a living testimony of that Message?). That Message is my daily bread – and I believe in comprehensiveness of the prosperity Message: to include physical, emotional, spiritual, marital etc prosperity. However, what we don’t hear enough of from the pulpit is about the trials that are attendant with everyday living, so that when the trials do come, we are so often surprised, even bewildered, by them.

Balance: faith and works
I appreciate that our pastors cannot very well mount the pulpit every Tuesday and Sunday to preach unlikeable news. But what I am saying is that we need enough balance in the teaching and preaching to awaken us to the truth that trials are an intrinsic part of every day life. I consider that this is one of the commissions of our shepherds – to remind us, day in day out, that, despite our pain, our God is still faithful. We will know that abundant life that He has promised. The Shepherd Himself said: “In this life you will have many trials… but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world!”

It’s the age old Murphy’s Law. You start a business with zeal, but the returns in the first years or so fall short of your expectation. You relocate to that country where, on vacation six months ago, you felt that God Himself has asked you to relocate to – only to find fatigue and seeming emptiness somewhere around year one and a half and two, when the honeymoon is over. You get married, maybe even for the second time – only to find your expectations of and in marriage are not met yet again.

‘Well, what to do?’ as our driver would say.

In the valley? Run to The Lily of the Valley
2001 springs to mind. I had lived in Accra on assignment for about a year and it was time to return home to London. In expectation that I would return to the West African sub-region sometime pretty soon, I packed up my boxes and stored them in a friend’s house. I left Accra with one suitcase. Months down the line in London, still no work. I was confused - at the best of times. I had a mortgage to pay, household expenses to take care of, but no work to call a job. I felt like Job (note the pun). Month five. Month six. “Hello, God. It’s me. Ruka? Hello? There's the small issue of my mortgage? And my career? Hello? God?” And God was laughing.

Honestly, I am sure I heard Him laughing. Laughing at my useless distress and my lack of faith. He seemed to be saying: “Well, Miss Ruka, you are here in this valley and life is so unkind, but it’s only for a while. And, my dear child, can we please be mature about this and accept this condition for the now? I know the plans that I have for you. Plans to give you a hope and an expected end.’’ Jeremiah 29. Realizing that I just had to take heed and wait for my change even if I did not want to, I began to gain composure.

He that started a good work in me will see it through till completion.

Ever been the Queen's neighbour?
Of course I found work - and not just any work. I found work with a respected, global organization. Even the physical address of our offices made people green with envy. I was, darling, the Queen’s neighbour. Our offices overlooked St. James’s Palace. Buckingham Palace was my backyard. Presidents and Prime Ministers were constant visitor in our offices. I rubbed shoulders with those who, as a matter of course, met with Presidents, Prime Ministers and High Commissioners of countries all over Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. Our consultants were Nobel Laureates - Amartya Sen and the likes. I myself, on a number of occasions, rubbed shoulders with one or two of them. And now God was laughing with me.

Ghana revisted...
A couple of years on I am in Accra again – and I have been here for four years or thereabouts. Ups and downs, round and about, joy and pain. But I decided that I will in all things give Him thanks. I won’t let go of His name. Yes, someone thieved $10,000 from me most deceitfully, and I was once again left to rally funds from my sisters and my lovely, lovely, elderly mother. Yes, I may not yet have the level of business success that I crave, but God is still laughing, and, like you, I remain an evidence of His mercy, faithfulness and love.

And laughing...
So I decided to take God head on in His Word. Like Jacob, I said, “I won’t let You go until You bless me.” So I have grown tired of not trusting God. I have grown tired of not expecting challenges. I have grown tired of having sleepless nights. By Job, I think it’s clicked - I am learning to trust God.

Expect high and low seasons. Realise that low seasons are seasons for reflection and use them to gather strength – spiritual, emotional, the lot. Be only surprised by The Joy that you feel even in the depth of your confusion, for God is laughing. That Joy is your strength. It is the bulwark that causes you to rise up and go to church on Sundays, even if your purse is empty and you are out of work. The bulwark that makes you say: I will wait until my change comes.