UNDERSTANDING LIFE

UNDERSTANDING LIFE

Life we need to understand is not the mate of any created being. All created beings are brought or ushered into life (an existing life for that matter) and only granted the permission and authority to enjoy this God-given life or live this life as it pleases one.

Every created being id given the opportunity to live this life on earth for a period of time; and when this time expires, the spirit and the soul are withdrawn, and the body become a carcass, returning to the earth as dust. This is what is called death or end-of-life.

In reality however, this is not the end of life; for life is for eternity. At the expiry of the time of the individual beings on earth, the individual is withdrawn or translated to the world beyond to continue living same life.At the time of resurrection, every created being shall be restored to the same life that had been in existencebefore being created.

At the time of judgements, every created being is made to live his or her God-given life in;

a.     Kingdom of God.

b.     Perdition.

Life therefore is beyond us and not our property; we therefore cannot change life nor alter it. We can only change life pattern or style and the way live life.

If it were possible for us to change life, many people would have escaped with their wickedness and prayers of God’s visitation on enemies of our God-given life with fire as a punishment will have been thwarted.

Amos chapter 1 and 2, the Bible enjoins us to bless our enemies to enable us heap coal of fire on them. This is because God knows the life granted the enemy is intact and unchangeable. The law of Karma would have been of no effect had it been it were possible to change life.

Any attempt by anyone to want to change life like chameleon is in futility. Any expectation to be endowed with another life after you have foolishly and mercilessly ruined your God-given life also amounts to futile expectations.

NB: Life is beyond us and not our mate or subordinate to toil with. The question, where will you spend eternity only becomes relevant when there is an understanding that life is an eternal gift of God that can be spent either in God’s Kingdom or in Perdition.What is changeable about life are only;

a.     The style.

b.     The pattern.

c.      The way you live God’s given life.

Why will you not concentrate your efforts on changing your life style, pattern and way of living instead of praying to change what remaineth unchangeable?

All those who have in one way or the other afflicted you with pains and torment cannot escape from the judgement and punishment of God whether dead or living as God will visit them with His wrath. God’s visitation may be now or later; but for sure there is no escape.

Enjoy your God-given life without subjecting others to pain thinking you have escape. Stop your attempt to control life or rule life – enjoy it as you find it.

Chaplain Prof. Mike David JP, AP, CPC.

Chief Consultant Chaplain

ADVERSITY CALLS FOR ADVOCACY AS WELL AS EMPATHY

ADVERSITY CALLS FOR ADVOCACY AS WELL AS EMPATHY

Definition of Terms:

1.     Adversity – A state, conditions or instance of intense difficulties, fortune or misfortune.

2.     Calls for – Warrants, given an invitation to beckon to or make something necessary.

3.     Advocacy – The act or process of advocacy for supporting a cause or proposal.

4.     Empathy –The imaginative projection of a subjective state into an object. The action of undertaking. Being sensitive to and being aware of.  Experiencing the feelings, thoughts and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts and experience communicated.

Hurting:

1.     Increasing physical pains or wounds.

2.     To do substantial damage or injury or material harm.

3.     To cause emotional pains or anguish.

4.     To be detrimental to or hamper.

Problems of humanity have become so advanced and complicated with some of them attaining the sophistication that require tactical, compassionate handling and touch of professional experts, who have the needed expertise and experience .

Some of these problems have assumed a continuous nature that makes them seem to have no end or solution. From all indication and the definition of terms, adversity is said to be intense fortune or adverse fortune.

Adverse fortune or misfortune inflicts agonies and sufferings upon the people. Such adverse fortune or misfortune in the midst of plenty as provided for people by the Almighty God brings hurting unto the people of our world. Some of such adversities plaguing our world and generation could be as listed below:

1.     Injustices of the highest order.

2.     Marginalization by the powers that be.

3.     Denials of equal opportunities.

4.     Inability on the part of the government to provide people with needed social amenities.

5.     Neglect of the poor and down trodden by national governments.

6.     Insensitivity of governments to the yearnings of the people.

7.     The looting of government treasury by government officials.

8.     Governments embarking on white elephant projects instead of caring to benefit the people.

9.     Failure on the part of national government for providing youths with empowerments.

10.                        Neglect of the senior citizens by national government.

All these points enumerated above can be classified as adversities as they increase the hurting and pains inflicted upon the innocent citizens. Because of the adversities, advocacy becomes important and necessary.

Adversity for sure sends signals to the people concerned to mount the needed advocacy for the hurting, and a clarion call on the government to see to the needs of the general public. Adversities warrant the mounting of advocacy. Just as adversities calls for advocacy, it also calls for empathy for the hurting and neglected public.

It is our duty and responsibility as professional Chaplains and pastoral care-givers and providers to:

1.     Identify with the hurting community in their situations.

2.     Helping to find the needed solutions to their problems.

3.     Endeavouring to help reduce the suffering of those hurting to the barest minimum.

4.     Standing by the hurting communities in their developments.

5.     Helping to point out to governments the root causes of the people’s problems and reminding the government to take responsibility for the social welfare of the entire citizenry of their nations.

In conclusion therefore, chaplaincy profession and practicing professionals (professional chaplains) must go a step further than providing the needed care for the hurting; they must also stand against the vices in the society and ask governments for a change of behavior and attitudes.

Chaplain Prof. Mike David JP, AP, CPC.

Chief Consultant Chaplain

ADVERSITY CALLS FOR ADVOCACY AS WELL AS EMPATHY

ADVERSITY CALLS FOR ADVOCACY AS WELL AS EMPATHY

Definition of Terms:

1.     Adversity – A state, conditions or instance of intense difficulties, fortune or misfortune.

2.     Calls for – Warrants, given an invitation to beckon to or make something necessary.

3.     Advocacy – The act or process of advocacy for supporting a cause or proposal.

4.     Empathy –The imaginative projection of a subjective state into an object. The action of undertaking. Being sensitive to and being aware of.  Experiencing the feelings, thoughts and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts and experience communicated.

Hurting:

1.     Increasing physical pains or wounds.

2.     To do substantial damage or injury or material harm.

3.     To cause emotional pains or anguish.

4.     To be detrimental to or hamper.

Problems of humanity have become so advanced and complicated with some of them attaining the sophistication that require tactical, compassionate handling and touch of professional experts, who have the needed expertise and experience .

Some of these problems have assumed a continuous nature that makes them seem to have no end or solution. From all indication and the definition of terms, adversity is said to be intense fortune or adverse fortune.

Adverse fortune or misfortune inflicts agonies and sufferings upon the people. Such adverse fortune or misfortune in the midst of plenty as provided for people by the Almighty God brings hurting unto the people of our world. Some of such adversities plaguing our world and generation could be as listed below:

1.     Injustices of the highest order.

2.     Marginalization by the powers that be.

3.     Denials of equal opportunities.

4.     Inability on the part of the government to provide people with needed social amenities.

5.     Neglect of the poor and down trodden by national governments.

6.     Insensitivity of governments to the yearnings of the people.

7.     The looting of government treasury by government officials.

8.     Governments embarking on white elephant projects instead of caring to benefit the people.

9.     Failure on the part of national government for providing youths with empowerments.

10.                        Neglect of the senior citizens by national government.

All these points enumerated above can be classified as adversities as they increase the hurting and pains inflicted upon the innocent citizens. Because of the adversities, advocacy becomes important and necessary.

Adversity for sure sends signals to the people concerned to mount the needed advocacy for the hurting, and a clarion call on the government to see to the needs of the general public. Adversities warrant the mounting of advocacy. Just as adversities calls for advocacy, it also calls for empathy for the hurting and neglected public.

It is our duty and responsibility as professional Chaplains and pastoral care-givers and providers to:

1.     Identify with the hurting community in their situations.

2.     Helping to find the needed solutions to their problems.

3.     Endeavouring to help reduce the suffering of those hurting to the barest minimum.

4.     Standing by the hurting communities in their developments.

5.     Helping to point out to governments the root causes of the people’s problems and reminding the government to take responsibility for the social welfare of the entire citizenry of their nations.

In conclusion therefore, chaplaincy profession and practicing professionals (professional chaplains) must go a step further than providing the needed care for the hurting; they must also stand against the vices in the society and ask governments for a change of behavior and attitudes.

Chaplain Prof. Mike David JP, AP, CPC.

Chief Consultant Chaplain