Sally sat down on her desk at work, utterly shamed and embarrassed. She had lost her pride and reputation all because she was in pursuit of what..or who she loved. After a 5 year relationship, Sally had just discovered that her supposed fiance was engaged to be married to another woman who was already pregnant for him. Not only that, she found out that his family, who she thought was in full support of her, was actually in support of the marriage. Apparently, they ‘supported’ her only because she supported them..in cash.
Sally was devastated. She had paused her dreams and put her life on hold because of Jim; sold off some of the estates her dad left her, to support Jim’s quest for international education, something she herself didn’t even have. She had been warned repeatedly by concerned loved ones but she wouldn’t listen. Looking back now, she realised she saw all the signs but she never considered them. Signs like how she was the one doing most of the calling. How he always had an excuse for everything and always blamed her for every fault. He called her paranoid and she believed him because he said she was always monitoring him. Looking back, she realised she actually had a good reason to, considering the number of female voices that answered to calls stored with masculine names. At some point, Jim banned her from picking his calls. It bothered really because they were not always together. If these things happened in the time they spent together, how much more when she wasn’t with him.
Sally wept. She’s a Christian so she couldn’t just wipe him off if not, she would have done that. She seriously considered calling the law on him but on what charge? The lands and properties they bought, she bought in his name because she thought they’ll get married. She had lost her pride and dignity in pursuit of love.
Devastated and discouraged, Sally took her plight to God. She wasn’t sure God would listen because she also now realised that God had been calling her attention through her inward witness but she always ignored it. But she had no where else to go and at 36, she didn’t have any man to turn to because they’ll just think of her as desperate.
As she sat down to pray, worship came to her lips and it was her favorite. She poured herself out and worshipped God. After some minutes, she slowed down and as the song faded away on her lips, she heard a voice say to her
‘And the remnant that has survived of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward.’
She recognized that verse. It was in 2 Kings 19:30
She immediately opened it up and as she read, something strange happened. Instead of reading House of Judah, she could almost swear she saw Sally. So she was reading ‘and the remnant that has survived of Sally shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward.’
Sally read it again and saw ‘House of Judah’ this time around but the voice that said ‘Sally’ stayed imprinted on her mind. She sat down to ruminate on the Word and that was when the light bulb hit her. She had lost everything. Well. Almost everything. Her reputation and pride too, because people who were obviously envious of her relationship will have a laugh at her. She was now a laughing stock. Nothing much left. But today, God is asking her to take the remnant of the life, (what is remaining of it, after all she’s lost), and root it in God. Only then will her fruits or results come forth. She knew that was happened to House of Judah too in that passage. They had lost almost everything and God sent them a word of encouragement to focus and take root so they can have success.
Sally suddenly felt more hopeful than she had been in days. She didn’t have much but she had God and some little left, even if it was a little. She will plant herself in God and God will take it up from there.
With a renewed determination and hope, Sally stood from her place of prayer, the remnant of her life in one hand and her Bible in the other, ready to heal and face the world, not knowing tomorrow but knowing WHO holds tomorrow and that He has her absolute interest at heart.
Today, we have many sallys. It might not be a relationship that failed. It could be a business that failed. Or Anything that is important to you but is no longer there. And mind you, failure is not failure until you give up on the process. Whatever it is, you know it’s at a stage where you can’t do anything in the physical about it anymore. Instead of crying, why not take what’s left to God and plant it in Him. There’s nothing so ill that God can’t heal. I’ve seen God turn the most unlikely situations around. If God could raise the dead, which is the ultimate of all hopelessness, He can do anything else.
I don’t know the challenges you’re facing today but I know God can sort you out. And if you feel you have nothing left, take what you have left and root it in God. Give God your time and attention and watch Him turn your ashes into beauty.
Have an amazing GOD-DEFINED weekend ahead and remember, you’ve got lots of love and warmth from me
Lots of love, light and laughter
Ijeoma
