WALKING OUT ON GOD
Salome was seen rushing out of their gate to the nearest bus stop to get some stuff from the Store. But to her amazement, she met the bus stop jampacked with different people waiting for either motorcycle or Danfo (the popular transit bus in Lagos city in Nigeria).
It was not too long she got there that a Danfo bus came and the conductor started calling the destination they were heading to “Iyana Ipaja! Iyana Ipaja!! Don’t enter if you are not with change o” he rants continuously at the top of his voice while passengers including Salome were struggling to enter.
Fortunately, she happened to be one of the lucky passengers who were able to squeeze themselves into the Danfo bus and the driver kick start the bus. ” hooo, why dis bus dey make noise like dis nah? You dey collect money, you no fit take am repair your bus, mchew” (hissed) a man sitting beside Salome complained as they go.
” Dem put glue for your eyes wen you dey enter? Abi you no see sey the bus don old?” One fat woman sitting at the back asked angrily as she rolled her eyes at him
” If he no see am, e no hear the sound of the engine? another man from the back said “E be like sey the bus old pass the driver sef” the driver gave the man a quick angry glance at the hearing of his comment and the passengers burst into laughter
“haah!” one lady, muttered at the front
“Can’t you hear how it is roaring like a lion looking for food in the jungle?” A man who sat beside her said and the passengers started laughing again while the bus conductor rolled his eyes at them angrily.
A few minutes later, they got to their destination and the passengers alighted.
Salome went straight to the store where she could get the stuff she wanted to buy as soon as she got down from the bus. She was excited to see the exact dress and shoe she was looking for in the store and she asked the woman to bag it while she checks her handbag for money.
She came to a halt and she felt the blood drain from her face. Her money was gone.
“Ha, ha! I kept the money here nah” She exclaimed while rummaging through her handbag. She emptied the contents inside the bag but couldn’t find the money. Her stomach clenched as a wisp of fear curled around her heart
“heee! I am doomed” she said sadly as she flopped on a bench dejectedly with tears welled up in her eyes
“Customer, what is the matter?” The woman asked
“I can’t find the money I kept inside my handbag, probably it has been stolen,” She said sadly as she blinked against the tears flooding her eyes
Her eyes widened ” Haah!, Hope the money is not much?”
“It is #30,000,” she said as she wiped tears off her face. A few minutes later, she stood up and started going at a slow pace without uttering a word
“Where are you going now?” The woman asked with a concern
” I am going home. I am sorry I wouldn’t be able to buy the stuff again” she said calmly and continue going while the woman watches her with pity.
She took her transport fare she had kept in a separate wallet, sat down quietly in the bus and started thinking of how and when the money was stolen but couldn’t figure it out. “Why was I so careless?” she muttered sadly. She was definitely engrossed in her thought that she almost missed her bus stop.
She walked sadly and quietly to her house, entered her apartment and broke down in tears “Why God? Why did you allow this to happen to me? Why don’t you talk to me about it as you always do?’ She bombarded heaven with different questions as she cries and became calm after she had wet the floor with her tears.
While staying calm, she heard in her spirit “I wanted to talk but you were in haste. You rushed out after your prayer without listening to what I have to say. When I was cautioning you at the bus stop, you did not listen because you were overwhelmed with what you were going to get from the store. It wouldn’t have happened if you were patient.”
“Oh my God! I am sorry” Fresh tears trickled down her eyes as she clutches unto one of her pillows
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding (Prov 3:5)
We have also walked out on God severally without waiting for His instructions, but His mercy kept us. There are mistakes we wouldn’t have made if we waited for God’s instructions. Let’s always wait to listen to what God has to say after we have made our petition before Him. One song says;
God has something to say /2*
Listen listen and pay more attention
God has something to say.
I urged us to always remember the word “ACTS L” anytime we pray
A- Adoration
C- Confession
T- Thanksgiving
S- Supplication and
L- Listen
God will help each and every one of us in Jesus name.
Shalom
Written by Funmilola Opayinka as inspired by the Holy Spirit