By Banji Ayoola
Why do you experience lack? Why does money or material wealth seem to be withdrawn or withheld from you? Why do you suffer material deprivation? Why are you not lavished with material abundance, with material wealth? Why must you be in want?
You might need to be grounded in perseverance in the face of trial, tribulation, and temptation. To be strengthened, and developed in this area as a treasure you need to stand upright as a useful human being.
And also to ensure that nothing could tempt you to crack within, cave in, turn back and away from the path towards the Light. Or tempt you and drag you away to consider the popular option of seeking help where there is none, of seeking bread where you will be offered stone. Options that drag down, pull down, add weight and density, and are harmful.
Again, this undesirable experience you might need to enrich you inwardly such that you know how it feels to be in want financially and materially, how it feels to go hungry, and not have money in your pocket, bank accounts, or anywhere; and thereby know how appropriately to relate with others in similar or same circumstances in your prosperous times.
You experience the shame, the indignity suffered by the one going through want or poverty. How friends avoid you, how they and society treat you with contempt when you suffer want, and need help. How they deliberately shun you pretending not to see you.
That you suffer indignity starting from home, just because you choose not to follow the popular way, could be to ensure that you remain consistent in looking upwards in confidence to the Light in Its purity and everlasting goodness.
Now, this question may assail you to torment you: Eni t’o ni oun maa da’so fun ni, t’orun e la a wo. As to drive people away from you and your conviction because of the material lack you experience.
Do not let this bother you. What you experience may be part of your training to develop and mature you into a better human being. It may be a ripened reciprocal action to settle some debt you once owed through some errors and be freed.
No doubt you are being taken through the storm. This storm will be over. You will survive the storm. Just persevere and focus on the Light alone in Its supreme purity and everlasting goodness.
Whatever your experience may be for your own good, for your benefit.
Look upwards confidently to the Light. Cast your gaze upwards to the Light alone and accord It your total confidence. The Lord will see you through the storm.
