ADDING & VENTING

From the beginning of time, God has equipped creation with whatever they need for their sustainability. He did not stop there. In every age, God continuous to reveal himself in new and diverse ways. All we need to do is pay attention. On this first Sunday of advent 2021, and I wanted to look at the season a little differently. I looked at advent through the lenses of “adding” and “venting.” In other words, this is a call for us to consider how our drives and emotions compel us to vent/or not for God’s justice and righteousness. 

A quick google search of the words “vent” and “add” showed meanings I expected to see: Vent means to “give free expression to (a strong emotion)” and “Add” means to “Join (something) to something else so as to increase the size, number, or amount.”  There are of course other meanings, but I decided the use these ones because it best reflects what my thoughts and what I am reflection on advent season.

     I dwelt on emotions, and looked at how they part of we are, and how we cannot exist without them. We all go through life experiencing a whole spectrum of emotions: Fear, joy, sadness, uncertainty, anger and so forth. For example, the that comes from finally falling in love, becoming engaged, attaining a milestone, or the pain of losing a parent, a job are all real. They make us react differently also. We may experience physical, emotional, and physiological reactions ranging from profuse sweating, having increased heart beats, suddenly developing sweaty palms. Making decisions/or not when going through excessive emotions is not the best. It is important to remember that our emotions add value to our lives, help us connect, but can lead also to regrettable outcomes unless we “vent” the right way, with the righteous anger of the Lord.

 Venting does more than helps us express emotions in a healthy way, it also helps us learn how to act/react in the future. When we feel something deeply, we tend to want to either want to talk or write about them with our most trusted friend or best other. We vent to people we love and trust, for comfort and so that they will help us to calm down. healthy venting helps us to let out the steam, regroup, cope, rethink, and perhaps make better decisions. But venting with those we do not get along with can lead to fights and other associated negative outcomes.

 

Advent is a season of preparedness. Through prayer, reflection, and good deeds we await the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, not just at Christmas, but on the last day. What sort of emotions should we nurture this season, and in fact the rest of our lives? What should we always be venting about and why? Jesus prayed (Luke 22:32) went about doing good (Act 10:38) and reacted to pain and suffering in his day (John 16:33). Christians who pray, who prepare for the Lord’s return, need to like him be sensitivity to the sufferings and injustices of our world today.

 This advent, let us add value to the scripture message by doing things a little differently. Maybe God is calling you to connect with someone in your family or neighborhood? Or maybe you need to mediate between your adult children/friends/ or family members who are not been getting along? Could you plant a tree? Join a cause for environmental awareness, or perhaps host an international student who needs a host family come Christmas? To add value is to bring scriptures to life by doing ordinary things with more intentionality. Jesus did not try to fit in, he became God’s desire for the world. By the end of this advent, this Christmas, this year; by the end of our lives, may it be that we would proudly acclaim like St. Paul “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (1 Timothy 4:7-8) Amen

 

 The Gain is Worth the Pain

Waiting can be difficult. Waiting takes effort, perseverance, hard work, and sometimes a few years for one to see real results. Such as the duration it takes to graduate from high school, college, or any institution, academic or not. As a college student 10 years ago, I went through  some of the marks of being a hardworking student which includes putting in several hours of study for weeks and months unending while preparing for one quiz, exam or presentation or the other. It was much more difficult coming from Nigeria where I had little access to neither computer nor the internet. I struggled with technology as much as I struggled with adapting to a completely new culture and learning to live this new way of life. Yes it was quite an experience.  There’ve been times when I had felt overwhelmed, and on few occasions wondered if I would ever make it.

However, in spite of everything I had to overcome, I refused to give up, I told myself that nothing in life comes easy. I was determined to give it all my had, and I trusted/still trusts the actions of God in my life. I knew that I was not alone, and that God is always with me, and that he will bring to perfection what he has begun in my life. I told myself that since God brought me to the United State, he has a plan, and I for one will not sabotage his plans for my good. Rather than give up, I realized that I could make life easier for myself by taking a step back to discern everything.

After further discernment and consulting my academic advisor, it became clear to me that I was partly responsible for my some of the issues I was having with. I was forcing myself to do something that is not my calling. I was trying to major in Nursing, when I have always know that I am a social worker. As such, changing my major was a blessing; I felt a deep sense of freedom, and the knots in my stomach all loosened up, I slept better and had more time for social and religious activities.

These thoughts came to mind this morning and I find myself using my experience to encourage a collage freshman who seem to be going though a similar experience as I was 10 years ago. He told me that he was excited about going back to college in the United States but is just realizing that he is struggling a with meeting up with academic and job demands since he must also work to be able to pay himself through school. He wondered if she should quit school (which is will be risky because that could put in out of legal statutes). We talked about other things he is struggling with, including pressure from family (in Nigeria) for financial assistance.  

I said so many things to suit my friend. But most importantly, I reminded him that nothing in life comes easy, and that we have the grace of God to rely on when all else fails us. On the other hand, I assured him that this is a transitional time in his life, he will not always be a student. We talked about options, including reducing his credit load and seeking extra help from his professors. At the end of the conversation, my friend confessed that he feels much relieved. He expressed appreciation and thanked me for listening.

Everything is life happens for a reason, and until it is known, it is important for us to continue to let God lead us though life. Be encouraged and go out there and be a beacon of hope for somebody who may be needing you, even as you are read this. Tell all the downtrodden that all hope is not lost, that all will be well because God has got their back. Let us continue to extend the compassion of God to the lost and discouraged, this is what pleases the Lord.