God Is Our Life-Building Facilitator

I am a team building facilitator. My job requires me to coordinate experiential learning processes for teams. My role as the facilitator is to provide a safe (physically and psychologically), supportive, non-judgmental atmosphere, in which participants try to accomplish tasks beyond their self-imposed limitations.

So when a team contacts me, we do a need assessment that guides me in formulating activities and a program for them. These needs are the things that are hindering the team from performing as a team and achieving more. The activities are supposed to produce learning points in line with the needs identified. 

So as I set those challenges for the team, I have in mind what the team needs are, I have in mind what this activity seeks to achieve and I have the confidence that the team process as they do the activities, will produce the required lessons for them. The only way to assimilate the lessons from an activity is through what we call a debrief. The team sits back and starts reflecting on their process, analyzing their feelings, analyzing their actions and their responses and articulating their learning points.

When I was thinking about my work, I started thinking about how God is our life building facilitator. He know the things that are hindering us from achieving our purpose and call. And so everyday he sets challenges for us, knowing that our processes will produce learning points that if assimilated will make us a better people, able to do life as He wishes. And as much as we might feel as if a challenge is impossible, (just like my teams do all the time), when I engage with him and allow him to facilitate me, He guides me through my processes until I manage. He also knows our self-imposed limitations and He wishes we could break those limiting barriers and be the people He created us to be.

Unfortunately, we don't see it that way. Some of us shun away from challenges, some of us are not focusing on becoming better and others are prisoned by their self imposed limitations they can hardly do a thing. They are slaves.

But God is our Life Building Facilitator. Let us learn how to allow him to guide us through life, to teach us thing through our process and to trust him that though he sets ahead of us challenging things, he know that we can surely do it. 

And yeah, you must make it a habit to always do a debrief with God. Take time everyday to reflect on your learning points and allow those lessons to become part of you.

Lessons on Faith From London 2012 Olympics

London 2012 Olympics brought together countries from all over the globe. Many athletes competing could not speak one language. But that did not limit their participation.  As I was just reflecting on this thought, I realized how easy it is for the church to come to the unity of faith. You see, in any sport, the participants do not necessarily have to learn the same language, all they need to know is learn the language of the game. If it's handball, you have to know what makes it different from netball or volleyball. If it's triple jump, you need to know the drill and so with each game.

Once you understand the language of the game, whether in a global tongue like English, or in a local dialect like Kalenjin, you are good to go. And as you enter in the field to play, though speaking different tongues, all players are in essence speaking one language, the language of the game.

The Kingdom of God is bigger than our local realities, it is massive beyond the global sense. Beyond the galaxy, the seen and the unseen. And sometimes one can wonder if the maturity of the church according to Eph 4:13, will come when the church comes to the unity of faith, then will the end really come?

But following the above thinking, let us assume the journey of faith is indeed a game at the Olympics, the reality of maturity is like playing at the Olympics and the people of faith are the players. How then can we make the maturity of all saints a possible reality?

To qualify for the Olympics (maturity of faith), one has to practice, learn the language of the game and be good at it, having achieved the set standard. The language of the game in this context is the Knowledge of the Son. This means that you have to have a level of the Knowledge of the son that is substantial enough to make you qualify for maturity.

Did you realize as nations competed at the Olympic they did not send the whole country there? Everybody could not achieve the standard required to play at the Olympics! What does that mean? It means REPRESENTATION. Could it be as much as the quantum that qualifies one for maturity is unknown, the reality of representation could the secret? That as long as some people are able to achieve the set standard required, they can stand on behalf of the rest and their representation can be considered as an achievement for all? 

Back to the basic thought of this note. 

If each player, in their local reality, learnt the language of the game, and acquired the standard required to play at the Olympics, then the unity of faith we seek could become a reality. And so, the task is for me and you to strive to achieve the standard that will qualify us to play at the Olympics. To strive for the knowledge of the son that will bring us to MATURITY.

His Own

The other day I was in the village and someone was screaming during the day. That is the only alarm system available for the village folks. The best thing about these people is their willingness to indulge in such occasions. They all come to either help or just watch depending on the happening. The watching part is the favorite for most.

When I was growing up, I was not spared. Our homestead was a shoot location for a drama series. It’s not once or twice we had villagers coming to spectate as we washed our dirty linen outside our yard. I think I only survived the shame because most of it happened at night and also the following episodes would be shot at a neighbor before it gets back to ours. The funny part is how people behave the next day as if nothing happened. Unless your face still carries the evidence.

There is this one night my folks were fighting and my brother and I were really pissed. Occasionally, I would avoid taking sides because I had discovered I needed both my parents the same way. But this night, I needed to say something. I am actually not the one who started; I am more of a coward, my bro did.

He ferociously tried to tell off our dad, mumbling a few words as his 5 year old mind would allow. Then when he ran out of what to say, the moment fell awkwardly silent. I raised my voice, still hiding among the spectators and yelled at our dad; “hey, just allow me into the house I pick up my stuff I go. I don’t belong here”.

And in that awkwardness our dad answered back laughing, “If you want to leave, go ahead, but first come here and remove the cloths you are wearing, everything you have here is mine”. And the crowd laughed at me hilariously. I was 6 yrs old and I had never felt that helplessly cornered and owned. Clearly there was no way I could detach myself from the circus.

That statement has never left me, more so when I think about our father in heaven. He owns us and everything we have. Yet many a times we want to excuse ourselves from his affairs, especially when we feel inconvenienced and disadvantaged. And unlike our earthly dads, his ownership is bound with such a deep amazing love that we can’t comprehend. Even when things are ugly, when things are tough, when things are not making much sense, he is just but crafting something beautiful out of us.

The call of God on your life may be taxing you. Loving your neighbor may seem an impossible task. Being a peacemaker may not be a thought in your mind. And yet that is your call; to uphold the values of God and to walk in his principles. And I know how now or then we get the feeling that we should back off and give up on God, that we don’t belong.

Or maybe the show is on your yard. Neighbors spectating your struggles and enjoying the drama in your life. But it’s not for you to respond in bitterness, depression, shame or by running away. No. Just know that you belong to him. Everything you are and everything you have is his. And so you have nowhere to go. Stick through the process.

Silent Night.... Really?

I don't understand how the night Jesus was born could have been a silent night. I don't understand. First of all the government being a government asks her citizens to go back to their home towns for census. It's like being asked to go shags for voting. Joseph and Mary must have been in their late teens, young in marriage and almost due for delivery. I have tried to imagine their circumstance.

I can imagine when the labor pains started and Joseph tried looking for a decent place for delivery. Delivery of God's son. And as he hustled from one inn to another, the places were fully booked. Mary must have wondered what kind of husband she had who cannot anticipate situations. I mean, he should have made earlier arrangements for his expectant, almost due wife. But I imagine he was not that sharp.

I can imagine when he came with the news that every decent place was booked and Mary was here screaming in pain. They must have panicked. I imagine what was going through her mind. How can I be delivering the savior of the world in this situation? She must have felt inadequate. And even as they decided on the cow shed, it was a decision they made out of no choice. Mary must have screamed the loudest and Joseph had no other option but to find a place to let her deliver; and it was in the manger. And who was the midwife? It must have been his not so sharp Joseph.

And then you tell me about a silent night??? Think again. I don't see any silence at all. The birth of the saviour was full of chaos, hard questions, difficult realities and trying circumstances. But in all this, He was born healthy.

And that is how most things born of God get delivered. In situations where you are not understanding the circumstances surrounding you, when the reality is difficult and the situation is not as expected. But if we keep pushing and keep the right heart posture, God will always make it happen for us. I think Mary is on of the most humble of being we read about in the bible. She is delivering the savior of the world and all she can say is .... be it unto me according to your word. And even when the worst came to worse she accepted her circumstances knowing so well that God's word must come to pass. If we lose anything else, let it not be the word we have from the Lord.

How do you Unwind?

Have you ever been so worked out by things and you feel you just need to see a therapist to off load? Those are the times I miss being a catholic, I would just go for confession and tell the father everything that is bothering me. But I have learnt there is nothing as therapeutic as just chatting with a friend, who listens genuinely and who creates a moment. Regardless of the activity the two of us share, in the end I just feel so refreshed and re-energized. We all need that. 

I was reading the book of Job the other day and I picked out the same. When disaster struck, Job’s friend came and sat with him seven days and seven nights without saying a word, just there with him because they could see his pain. This demonstrates the power of being there with someone and creating a moment. Later Job starts venting ( I like calling it bi**hing though am not allowed to use such words) by cursing the day he was born, asking questions about life and the troubles man faces as he tries to remain blameless. After every chapter or two of venting, we get another chapter of one of his friends trying to sober him up. And this continues for some time.

How do you vent? How do you unwind? How do you release the pressure and the tension you accumulate everyday from work and life? 

I have noted many people have not discovered the need to vent and the ways to do it. When we go back to Job, you will see the way he vents but he doesn’t charge God with any wrongdoings. We also see his friends trying to sober him up so that he doesn’t cross the borders. We also see Job recognizing the sovereignty of God especially when he tells the wife; why are you talking like a foolish woman, should we accept good from God and not trouble? I mean, Job understands God beyond his circumstances and though he vents out in anger and frustrations, he know his life is in God.

Often a time if we are lucky to have friends we can vent out with, we always fall short and cross the boundaries and we end up defiling ourselves. Some friends will go out for drinks and dancing as a way of venting and the find themselves worse off than they were. Some friends will hook up nicely just to turn into a gossip club. It is important to be vigilant.

Other people will not vent at all. They bottle things up inside them and they keep carrying heavy burdens. Life can be tough we all agree, and we don’t have the capacity to carry every load. It is wise we learnt to let go. Find something that allows you to release pressure and tension. It could be a walk in the evening, a sport, a hobby or just a silent moment away from every noise. It could be a chat with a refreshing buddy. It could be jotting down your feelings; It can also be a moment of worship and prayer, where you pour out your heart and your mind to God. Whatever it is, just make sure you have it.

And when life gets tough, always remember that Jesus is asking you to cast all your burdens to him for he cares for you. He carried all our burdens so that we can be free. And when we take up his burden, it easy and his yoke is smooth. 

But never ever bottle up things in your heart. Because according to Job, resentment kills a fool and envy slays the simple. And the wise man in proverb says; bitterness rots the bones. Let go off all bitterness, frustrations and pain, and let God be enough and sufficient for you.

Suddenly.... takes a long time

Have you ever seen a tree?

With big ripe fruits?

Ready to eat?

What did you think?

Oh! What a nice tree!

Offering something

For the stomach

Certainly not this!

Once a seed

Had to grow

Mature,

Give birth, and

Nurture

So,

The next time you see a tree, 

With big ripe fruits, 

Ready to eat,

Suddenly…takes a long time