I am aware that one of the ways God develops His work in us is to place us in the middle of situations that are the exact opposite of who we are. He gives us people who have exactly what we’ve been trusting Him for.

God develops real peace within us, not by making things go the way we planned but by showing times of chaos and confusion. God uses the exact opposite situation of each fruit to allow us make a choice.

We can’t claim to be good, if we haven’t been tempted to be bad. We can’t claim to be faithful, if we haven’t been faced with the option of cheating on our partners. We can’t claim to be patient if we haven’t been faced with impatient situations. We can’t claim to celebrate our friend’s successes if we haven’t been with friends who seem to have it more than we do. Likewise, Integrity is built by defeating the temptation to be fraudulent and cunny.

I will explain.

A dear and close friend of mine is so hippy. I used to envy her lot. A lot. As in, those kind of moments that could almost make you hate. And when I had reasons to see her without clothes. I’d beat myself down and mumur of how shapeless I am, eventually becoming depressed.

Isn’t it ironic that God places those who seem to have it more than us around us so that we can actually learn to be content with what we have and we can grow in our character? God didn’t give me a friend whom I thought I was physically more attractive than, rather he gave me friend who was so hippy. Her being with me helped me to love myself and be content. It was hard o. Chaiii. Thank God for growth.

Oh! What about living in the same room with a cousin who has big butts? Imagine the horror having to constantly live with what I so admired yet couldn’t have? I used do all the comparisons and just marvel at how God gave somebody so much, yet some so little. I realized that God didn’t give me a cousin who I thought was shapeless, rather He gave me one who had the exact features I so envied so that I can learn to be content with what I have.

For me, this is a way God works in me. I cried and prayed to God for more hips. Nothing changed. I have just learnt to love myself regardless.

Similarly, I concentrated on features I have. I have got a very flat tummy. A tummy several others take all sort of drinks to have. A tummy that lots of people register in gyms for. A tummy that many would do anything to have. I have also got a stature that looks younger than my age. A stature many take spend millions to have. Please note that, I am in no way shaming those who have big tummies or those who’re big, but I had to deliberately highlight features I have.

The Bible talks about God making us perfect in every good work to do His will, working in us that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ. If God will work in us, He’ll put us in the midst of opposite situations to strengthen our character so that we can learn to grow.

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Omoby, 2016