For a long time I thought that blogging was not my cup of tea. It needed a lot of time and dedication and I was not ready for it. But tonight, suddenly, I found the urge so strong and so urgent that i just took the step... So here is my first post. Just wanted to share a small incident from my life which left a Big Impact on me.
Being an Electronics and Communication Engineer might sound cool for a few, interesting for some, boring for others; but being in an engineering college is definitely an experience worth re-living. Just above a year ago I was in one of the numerous engineering colleges spread across the country. The four year long roller coaster ride, the four years of bliss, the four years of fun, the four years of non-stop activities, the four years that taught me the most about life (and something about engineering) and surprisingly the four years that changed a boy who would run away from Church into a man deeply in love with Jesus!!!
I was blessed enough to study in a Government Engineering college in South India. And one thing about our college was that all through the year everybody was busy!! Either we were writing one exam or the other, or preparing for them, or moaning at the ones that just got over, or most often trying to figure out ways to postpone or even cancel the coming ones!! It was during one of these exam seasons when I had one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I was then in the third year and our internal exams just got over. And as any other ‘normal’ student I too believed in last moment preparation. We had back-to-back three days of exams, two papers each day. And on the last day I had to sacrifice my lunch to prepare for the afternoon exam, as I had absolutely no idea about the subject. After the exam one of my friends and I couldn’t hold back the call from within our tummy any longer. We rushed to the nearest restaurant. And as we were waiting for our order to be delivered I glanced across the restaurant and saw a man and his son, about five years old, feasting on masala dosa. The young boy, though excited, was worn out by the enormous task of eating something that was almost half his size. So it was daddy’s turn to help him out. It was delightful to see such a loving father-son relationship. Even while we were having our teatime lunch I couldn’t help myself from looking at the other table every now and then. I was so happy to see such a loving, caring father. The love he had for his son touched me. He was feeding the boy with so much love that for once I wished I were that boy. But soon the plates, both theirs and ours, were empty. They reached the billing counter just before us and as we were waiting for our turn something happened that shocked me.
At the counter the boy asked for a candy. I expected his request to be granted right away. But to my surprise his daddy said, “NO!!” The boy kept on insisting but his daddy refused. He just paid the bill and walked out. I was dumbstruck. How can a person who was so caring just a few minutes ago, suddenly become so rude!! What happened to the perfect father-son relationship?? My opinion about the man changed drastically. From an affectionate father he became a cruel dictator in no time. A selfish person who can spend Rs 30-35 on masala dosa, but couldn’t buy his son a candy worth 50 paise!!
As we walked to the nearest bus stop they were walking in front of us. The boy was now crying badly. But still holding on to his daddy’s hand he walked ahead. He kept on pleading for the candy but his daddy turned a deaf ear. I was so disgusted at all this that I almost decided to buy the boy a candy if his daddy couldn’t!! I restrained myself. Soon we reached the bus stop. At the bus stop there were a few small shops. I saw the daddy stopping in front of one of them and to my surprised asked his son “ Now tell me which all do you want?” The shop was lined with jars full of candy of different colours and flavours. The expression on the boy’s face changed suddenly. The tears rolling down his cheek gave way to a smile that stretched from ear to ear. His wet eyes began to shine. The boy who was till now stamping his feet in rebellion started jumping with joy. Though confused initially, he managed to get a hand full of his favourite candy instead of just one he would have got from the restaurant.
Isn’t our relationship with God, the Father similar? When we ask something from Him and He grants us, we are so full of joy and thank Him for His love. But the moment one of our prayers isn’t answered we start cursing Him the way I cursed the man when he refused to give his son the candy. Within no time our opinion and relationship with Abba Father changes. We tell all sorts of thing against Him, stop praying and even question His existence. But the small boy taught me a lesson. Though he was sad, heartbroken, disappointed, and angry he never left his daddy’s hand. He just held onto it, walked with him wherever he was taking him till the moment they reached a place where his desires were answered beyond his wildest dreams!!
May be God, our Father wants us to do the same. No matter how depressed or sad we are, no matter how wrong things are going in our lives, no matter what struggles we face in our lives, no matter if all our desires and plans are falling into pieces, no matter how many prayers are going unanswered...our Father wants us to just trust in Him. To jump into his ever loving arms, To just hold onto His loving hands as He takes us to the next step in our lives where he has prepared something wonderful for us, something much more than what we ever imagined.
So the next time your prayer is answered be happy, because it is good for you. And if your prayer is not answered be happier, because it is the best for you!! God has something better in store for you!!
“For surely I know the plans I have for you”, says the Lord, “plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” (Jeremaih29: 11)
