I am writing this for myself.
It’s been one helluva rough month. You know, the kind that one problem seems to pour like a humongous storm. I appreciate all the love that’s being shared by my friends, family, colleagues, the academic, business and political community. As I always say, when you’re at your lowest in life, that’s when you find out who your true friends are. It’s also when you know who supports you or not.
It’s painful when people stab you in the back or f*cks around with your mind. Anxiety builds up and the days are difficult to bear. You can’t focus on your work, you tend to be irritable, and your appetite is weirdly erratic. And yes, it’s not okay to feel emotionally and mentally assaulted.
After a few weeks of questioning myself, reflecting in prayers, and finding hope and support with friends from all walks of life, the humiliation on how unfair things turn out has brought me on my knees to God.
I’m calling this blog “The Devil’s Challenge”. When your dignity and humanity is challenged, maligned and crossed, what do you do? Natural instinct for survival is called self preservation. And self preservation isn’t all that bad. It demonstrates love of self first.
After love of self comes love of neighbor. Loving those who do us good comes natural. It is doing the impossible – loving someone who has humiliated you, spread false stories, destroy your name – that’s difficult to love. To love God is to follow His example. That we treat all with kindness and compassion. Even those who have wronged me. And I can live with the fact that whatever is happening is probably my Lenten sacrifice. It’s the cross I am meant to bear for myself and for others.
For the words of enlightenment and encouragement of my friends, thank you from the bottom of my heart. My gratitude is overflowing. Thank you for reaching out and offering your help especially during the storms of my life.
The devil has not yet seen me as the storm that will put him down. I will weather this storm because I love myself too much to let any evil destroy me. And I will let love and kindness and compassion and understanding destroy the devil’s challenge.
Because God is on my side.
Relative Joy 