The value and worth of an asset may not necessarily be well appreciated at first instance. Most time, the long term value and usefulness is considered and it engulfs ones mind to the point that no degree of present “low performance” affects our trust in its future relevance. For example, if we treasure an ability, strength or gift in ourselves, we keep exploring it; i.e. In all that we do we keep up the diligent work because of our confidence in the potentials and vast opportunities available. We do not give up even if we don’t seem to be reaping the benefits now. We don’t stop saying to ourselves that someday I will be there or I will achieve the desired result.
Likewise in our lives, we are not expected to give up praying just because we presently cannot lay hold on tangible evidences to justify such consistent labor. Better still, we should build a lifestyle of consistent loneliness with God in prayer like Jesus did. Although, bible might not have recorded all the periods Jesus spent praying alone with God (e.g. Mark 1: 35), but I have no doubt in my mind that He kept praying irrespective of the challenges that came His way. Jesus’ day to day confrontation with the Jewish elders and the outright rejection by people at certain times did not discourage Him either. At certain periods that He was supposed to question the worth of time spent praying due to unpleasant situations, He persistently committed himself to prayers. Perhaps Jesus kept at the back of His mind that His labor is not in vanities.
If in our academic pursuits or businesses for example, we do not mind peoples’ failures and business wind up, then it beholds us not to mind the present challenges that stares us in the face despite our persistent prayer. I have never heard anybody who says I won’t go to school again because people are failing or the graduates are not sound intellectually but rather I hear people say I know I can do better so they forge ahead.
Remember, it is when you are about to get to the end of the tunnel that it surely gets darker, the reason is because you are far from the entrance of the tunnel since you have come a long way and there’s no more ray of light; you are also getting close to the end where the ray of light is about to shine.
1Th 5:16-18 “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
adeyiga awomuti
