(I promised some couple of friends that I was going to write a sequel to IT’S JUST A THOUGHT, so here is the sequel).
I grew up in a family where the scriptures were hammered into my ears from an early stage. Infact, my Sunday school teachers were very instrumental in my indoctrination. The countless fearful stories about the consequences of disobedience, of sin and all, got me. So I absolutely lived a life of fear during my childhood days. I was very active in the children department, I was in the choir, drama group, evangelism group (for the few times we did go out to evangelize). I would always be one of the kids to recite some passage of the scripture during our annual children’s day which was always celebrated in the adult department. I was one of the brightest.
You see, your environment and places you’ve been to, people you’ve associated with, your exposure to the world, it all helps shapen your beliefs spiritually and physically. It did mine.
So when I got newly admitted to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, I had a very tough time adapting to the style of worship I met in the different school fellowships I saw. Till I left school, I knew a couple of brethren who would always look at me as the unbelieving believer (as we would always call people who hadn’t really grapsed the truth about Christ). I realised that since I wasn’t reading the same books they were reading at some point, I wasn’t spiritual or growing. I realised that because my cloths were always fitted to my size, because my shirts weren’t flapping when the Nsukka wind blows, I was termed as one who was in the church but still outside the church. That I was free with both the male folks and female folks alike, I was termed yoppie. That I didn’t pray long hours that others did, meant I wasn’t spiritual enough. That I don’t do everything you preach or say, that I don’t conform to every doctrine laid down, meant I still had a long way to go spiritually. I came to realize that in the Kingdom at large, certain brethren will always characterize spirituality as the way you dress (how many inches your skirt is below your knee; how flappy and bogus your shirt and trousers is respectively, how outrageous your make up is, etc), the way you talk and walk (at least am talking from a personal experience), how solemn you always are, etc.
I grew up in a different environment, got used to different style of worship; and like we all say: salvation is a personal race; I learnt how to worship my God in my own way; I might not have had the grace to pray 5hours at a stretch, but I had a place in God’s heart where my 1hour prayer got me tremendous results (though I’ve learnt to tarry in His presence longer, but that doesn’t mean that if I don’t, the way you do, that I ain’t growing); if I don’t cabash for hours you do, that doesn’t mean that I don’t have a relationship with my Father. Every father has a way he reaches out to his own child and how He gets the best out of him/her; my Father in heaven knows how He reaches out to me, He knows my strengths and weakness and so He gives me the grace to do better.
Please, don’t be too self righteous to tell another that he/she is not spiritual; you don’t know his/her walk with God; you don’t see them commune with God in the secret, you don’t know the lives the little light of theirs is lightning up; you don’t know how God sees them and how much value He places on them. That they don’t attend the same with you, or they have not been in church for the past 2 months or so, does not mean they’re less spiritual; infact, going to church is not the criteria for spiritual growth. We can merely inspire, motivate, encourage and advice, but we can never play God in anyone’s life.
PS: you out there thinking you ain’t good enough or you ain’t spiritual, read these words and know that the only one who can tell you such and it’s true is God. It’s between you and Him, and since He hasn’t said you’re not growing or ain’t spiritual enough, then you’re.
#Don’tTellMeAmNotSpiritual
#IKnowWhoIAm
#Gen. Sam
DEEP THOUGHTS PENNED DOWN 