Surrendering Out of Darkness

I am a Nigerian woman who’s lived here in America for over 45 years. I am a born-again Christian minister and am incredibly grateful for God’s Holy Spirit, who gives me guidance and brings about natural (and holy) responses in/through me these days.  It’s a good thing He does because I clearly remember how different I was before getting born again.

I can recall how I operated with money. I was nice-ish, a bit charitable, and concerned mainly for the preservation of me and mine. The people I grew up around were similar; focused mostly on self-protection and not feeling any responsibility to be concerned for the needs of others.  In fact, generosity was actually frowned upon as a weakness, and I did not want to seem weak. There was NOT a lot of love for the idea of being a sharing person, and we were stuck in darkness.

It is abundantly evidenced that this condition of being unsharing and stuck in darkness is a bit widespread. Gemstones in the Sun effectively highlights others who “be” this way, even to the extent of exploiting and abusing innocent lives.

On this side though, after having received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, I am sooooo much kinder and open. Immensely more concerned with the well-being of all of God’s creation (other people, the planet, animals, the environment, and more.) I now am capable of impactful sharing and less selfishness. I’ve learned that giving is a form of surrender and worship. It is a strength, not a weakness.  I find great joy and peace in belonging to a church that encourages it’s members to write a financial autobiography each year (and discuss it) so we get to see our past/present attitudes and thought patterns as it relates to money. We also disclose exactly how much we earn annually, being transparent and willing to tithe at least 10% of those earnings. If ever one of us has a financial need, the assistance is available. No one has to suffer. It’s been a beautiful experience, but it took a lot of surrendering of my old ways of thinking. I had to learn to trust God and ask how to practice using faith, not fear.

All of this makes me wonder just how much better life would be here in America, and everywhere, if we humans would SURRENDER ourselves to the reality of God’s presence, power, and peace. If only we would embrace it, not deface it…respect it, not reject it…heed it, not hate it. The spirit that is connected to The Spirit is automatically, undeniably bound to function correctly.  Not perfectly, but with far more decency and holiness. One becomes capable.

There is a darkness that beckons and tempts us away from the connection. We all go astray, like sheep.  In that darkness dwells selfishness, greed, loftiness, pride, cruelty and all things destructive. The further we drift from The Spirit, the closer we draw to the darkness…and we malfunction.  I believe that so much indifference, fear, suffering and imbalance would evaporate if we pressed our way closer to The Spirit.