Light The Fire
The other day, our gas lighter ran out, so I went to the kiosk by the estate gate to buy another one. As soon as I turned to leave, the Mallam asked, “Did you test it?”.
I was a bit surprised at first, but then it hit me — I’ve never tested any of the lighters I’ve bought before. I always just assumed they would work. After all, they had gas in them, so they were meant to work, right? It never even occurred to me that one might be faulty. But of course, not everything is perfect — factories aren’t perfect, and sometimes, even products that are supposed to work don’t.
Only God is perfect.
A little while ago, I was telling a friend how overwhelmed I’ve been lately with everything God has been calling me to do. It feels like a lot to handle, and I don’t always know how to approach it. Deep down, I start questioning myself — my abilities, my limitations. Am I really ready for this?
I began thinking that, if I’m working for a perfect God, everything I do should also be perfect. But the truth is, God is perfect, yes, but He’s also made us perfectly imperfect. And that means, even in our inabilities and insecurities, there’s a God who makes everything beautiful in His time.
Just like I didn’t think to test the lighter before buying it, can we be as trusting of God’s plans for us?
I remember when I worked as a customer service rep and later as an admin. There were many times I found myself doing things I wasn’t hired to do — things that weren’t even part of my job description. I used to wonder if I was being taken advantage of. But gradually, I found myself easing into the work — taking on the roles of two people, not because I had a choice, but because it needed to be done. And over time, I started to enjoy it, feeling thankful and allowing God to have His way.
I think back to when I was a confused 19-year-old, struggling to navigate life and silently dealing with some workplace bullying in 2018. Even then, God was teaching me. Through my mistakes as an admin, I often wondered why I wasn’t fired. But looking back, I can see that God was training me, preparing me for something bigger. And when that season was over, God shifted me onto a different path
Here’s what I’ve learned: until you truly learn to trust God, you’ll never stop seeing your challenges as burdens. You’ll keep complaining about your job, your circumstances, or even the country you live in, wondering why things aren’t working. Are you saying God made a mistake?
Until you trust God completely, you’ll keep questioning everything He tells you to do. It’s like buying a new lighter without testing it — just accepting God’s word, His plans, and His purpose, even if they seem impossible or insane. And when you finally trust, when you let go and follow His lead, He’ll ignite a fire inside of you.
That fire won’t just light up your own life; it’ll spread to others, and it won’t go out.
So, trust Him. Light the fire. You’ll be amazed at what God can do through you.
