On letting go and letting God

One thing everyone who knows me will testify about me is my strong faith and belief in God. It is because of this that I never play God.

Someone will ask, what is playing God?’ It means taking certain decisions because it is right in your eyes and you are in a hurry to get it done. Doing things for yourself since God is not yet done it or even helping God.

You see God knows the best for each of us and His plans for each of us differs.

One day something happened and I gathered my children to explain certain things to them. It was painful for me to tell them that but I needed to set the records straight.

I told them in as much as it is important and convenient to expect your children whom you raised to turn round and take care of you, I have never ever, ever banked on them. And to demonstrate this I explained to them how till date I still buy things for them and will buy even a jet for them if I had money.

The reason I don’t bank on them is that they are not my source. God is my source and can use them to be a blessing to me or another person or animal or inanimate object just as He used a raven a stingy bird to supply food to Prophet Elijah, He can use anything and anyone to bless me.

I said to them if my hope was on them what about the people without children? Does it mean they will die without help? I said No. Even if they wake up and say they won’t do anything for me God will raise others to do it. He said He will raise stones and give them mouths to do the work of praise that men refuse to do.

I told them never to be weary or hiss or feel under any kind of bondage thinking of me because I really have never put one drop of my hope on them; it has been on God all the way.

Secondly, I told them that I took care of them not because of what I stood to gain from them but because it was the right thing to do.

I told them, they were in heaven when by my actions and inactions I brought them down on earth so I owed them the highest duty of care – to take them to the best universities I can afford and buy for them the best I can buy and generally being the best parent I can be and, prioritizing them before me.

They were not so happy with me but then the truth is bitter.

I explained to them that It was because of my firm belief in God that you don’t see me scheming for anything or being nasty or trying some dangerous manoeuvring.

I ended up telling them the story of a Grand Aunt. She was married to my grandfather’s brother. She had no child after several miscarriages. She Later married a wife for her husband and the young wife had children. She began to look after those children. Along the line her business which was sustaining them fell and life changed for her.

In that state, my mother whose mother was late decided to adopt her. If not that my aunt was this kind of, “it is rainy season I want to go and plant my crops,” person, she would have lived with us for the rest of her life and got the best care and medical treatment and gifts. For her my mother had an open-door policy!

What happened here for this childless woman?

Simple! God raised my mother a total stranger so to speak to do the work.

Look stop over-thinking; God loves you. He wishes you well. He did not abandon you. Don’t try to help Him because many have died helping God. Take life easy. Be prayerful. Recognize the place of god in your life and hand over everything to him. Be good and sow great seeds for in due season you will reap the reward!

*Chinyere Obi-Obasi is a lawyer, writer, MC and public speaker. She has degrees in English language/Literature and law. She lives in Abuja and married with 5 children