Bits and Pieces

Have you ever been in need of clear-detailed-straight to the point information and yet settled for just bits and pieces? I have and it really can be upsetting. Life is that way! As T. D. Jakes would say, in throwing more light on Psalm 119:105, we sometimes expect God to give us a floodlight (something like His 5 year plan for our lives) yet He gives us a lamplight (insight for now).

Friendship is built in much the same way. Bits and pieces! The fruit of this discipline is Trust. Trust that God will take care of us like He promised because we have seen Him do it time and time again. Trust that if this friend said it, s/he will keep her/his word.

Trust is the hardest thing to repair after betrayal but there can be no relationship between two persons or party without that foundation of trust. And trust is built in bits and pieces. Impatience may get you where you want to go fast but only the one who submits to the disciplines of patience through time will be kept there. Such a person would have been equipped with all he needs to succeed while the impatient man finds himself ill-equipped. Impatience has destroyed far more reputations, relationships and dreams than any other vice known to man yet God keeps saying of those who wait on Him, 'they shall not be ashamed.'

A Scottish novelist, George Macdonald puts it this way, '' It is a greater compliment to be trusted than to be loved.''

Over the past one year I have found this to be true. It is one thing to love someone and another thing entirely to trust them. It is simply the war between your head and your heart and most people have no idea how right their heads can be. Love is nothing without acceptance and the hardest thing to accept is an untrustworthy person.

We sometimes think that the pain of waiting is not worth the effort it requires of us, if there is a quick alternative. My grandfather would say, know your regrets first before you act. In other words weigh your loss first before you lose. Insightful! You cannot be too cautious!

I am not saying that one is not allowed to take risks. As far as I am concerned risk taking is where all the adventure is in life. I hunt it! Adventures that is! But not before counting my loss, my grandfather was after all a wise man!

Here is something insightful I got from watching Brothers and Sisters:

There are no shortcuts in life or in love.
 This pain must be felt.
The alternative is much worse!
It is what makes us special!
What makes us beautiful!
What makes us worthy!
The pain of how we love.
Now that pain is accompanied by something else isn't it?
Hope!
With your pain there is hope and that is where you are.
Somewhere between agony and optimism and prayer…
So we are human.
Alive!
And that is what we have.


To add anything else to that would feel like a crime. Let’s take it in bits and pieces!