‘Para’ Mode, aka, ‘Boys Are Not Smiling!’

They are three seated in the living room: A father, his son and the son’s friend.
The friends need to share some ‘highly sensitive’ information that must not register any meaning in the older man’s mind.
They succeed!

How? By these ingenious inventions fathomed by every generation at that period when they decide not to be as stupid as the older ones.
(I’m sorry, but that’s how the youths think)

These inventions are Colloquialisms.

In this part of the world, one of the most frequently used colloquialisms in the youths’ parlance is ‘Para’. This is totally different from what you’d find in Chemistry’s 4-paranitrobenzene. (By the way, I’m not sure that compound exists)
‘Para’ here simply means ‘angrily serious’ or ‘seriously angry’, whichever makes more sense to you.

You’re probably sitting leisuredly, skimming through this post.
But haven’t you had enough yet?
No! No!! Not this blog, of course!
I mean your status quo.
That routine you are already enslaved by.
Yes, it’s safe, tested and trusted. But it’s boring too.
It feels like you’re forced to do it.
All indicators are pointing to a dire need for change.
Creative juices flow no more. Instead, you’re squeezing yourself like an exhausted toothpaste tube.

You’ve got to ‘para’!

Anger is harmless when it is directed at one’s self or situation. That way you’re motivated to do all in your power to get things moving.

God has equipped you with all you need for success. You were not created to be entangled in a web of boring routine.
Imagine 80 years of mechanical predictability.
That doesn’t sound like abundant life to me!

Don’t fold your hands and watch your life waste in an eventless fashion.
Get angry and challenge yourself.
Don’t just sit there, waiting for a miracle to happen. Oh yes, miracles do happen.
But they require you to get angry with your current situation and have an expectant heart.

Unless you throw aside the garment of complacency..
Unless you desire more than suffering and smiling…
You’d probably remain at the same spot.
For a long time!

You are delaying your progress by your stubborn refusal to move out of your rut.
God isn’t going to move until you do. By the way, He doesn’t even have to move, as all things are contained in Him.

The ball’s in your court.
How hard are you going to hit it???

‘Para’!

Possess Process To Progress: Joshua’s Tale

It was now the thirty-second day.

He was lonely, tired, bored and extremely hungry. A screeching eagle had just circled round the clear cloudless sky above. Joshua adjusted his posture so as to be a bit more comfortable on the rock he was lying on. Instantly, he wished he hadn’t. A searing pain jolted through his back…

What was taking his master so long? Joshua’s emotions were now bordering on depression. He cast his mind back to the cold nights and hot afternoons of the past days on the mountain. He knew he had the psychological toughness to survive his current ordeals. Compared to slavery in Egypt, this was paradise! So, to while away time, Joshua closed his eyes again to recount how everything started thirty-two days ago…

“And Moses rose up AND HIS MINISTER JOSHUA, and Moses went up into the mount of God” (Exodus 24 vs 13)
[Exodus 32 vs 17-18 also proves that Joshua too climbed the Mount of God, though, it’s very likely that Moses climbed to a higher level than Joshua].

Life had been hard for Joshua. Yes, he became Israel’s leader. But that was after process had taken place. A lot of it! In fact, many of us today can’t live with what Joshua had to live with:

Psychological and physical turmoil of loneliness while Moses was enjoying God’s Presence on the same mountain. Not for a day or two. But forty whole days! It could have been longer had it not been that Israel rose up ‘to play’.

However, the zeal for God was there, and soon, Joshua also started basking in God’s Presence, having a relationship with Him (Exodus 33 vs 11).

When the time came to spy the Promised Land, Caleb and Joshua were the only spies that brought a positive report. But guess who got most of God’s public accolades? Caleb!
Normally, this should have bred bitterness in Joshua’s heart. But converse was the case. Instead, he served God with even more vigour, winning countless battles for the Lord, under Moses’ leadership.

Finally, it was time to pass the baton of leadership. And God picked Joshua to lead His People. Joshua eventually got due recognition for his patient travails for God. He went on to conqueur and divide the Promised Land.

Tough times don’t last.
Tough people do.
There’s every chance that the bigger your life purpose, the more preparation God allows you to go throuph. That ‘wilderness’ experience would only bring out God’s best in you. The beauty of gold is seen after it has passed through the processing fire of affliction.

Possess your process now and watch how smoothly you’d progress into the next step of fulfiling purpose!