SURVIVAL OF CHRISTIAN YOUTHS IN THIS PRESENT HARDSHIP.

         I hear that you are perplexed because of the present hardships – I have bad news and good news: the bad news is that hardships will always be with us. The good news is that with PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) we will overcome.

Historically, ever since the fall of man in Garden of Eden, mankinds have been experiencing difficulties. Hardships have defined man’s existence thus far. There has never been a prosperous era: it has been one challenging era after another. Interestingly, it is these challenges that differentiate the great from the small; the weak from the strong.

Necessities that have greeted mankind over the years have been the seed of great inventions and technological breakthroughs that have defined the age in which we live. One beautiful thing about difficulties and hardships is that they separate the boys from the men. During hardships, the strong go up but the weak go down.

        We should not pray for a trouble-free or hardship-free life. Life without challenges is not worth living. It makes for weaklings. My worst days are days without challenges. The more challenges I encounter, the more I come up with initiatives, tasking my brain to come up with solutions, which in the end benefit me and those around me. Necessity has always been the mother, grand-mother and great-grand-mother of all inventions. It was said of late Tai Solarin, a Nigerian and a Yoruba by tribe that whenever he saw anyone, his peculiar greeting was, “May your days be rough!”

We all desire life to be a bed of roses, fortunately life will never be. Life is war and survival is the name of the game! Life is not a restaurant – it is a war front. You either win or you lose. Fortunately, we were all born champions. The battle commenced at conception, continues on planet earth and will cease only when we get to Heaven. As far as earthly life is concerned, it is only the militants who become the triumphant. You either rise up to challenges or you are consumed by them.

        God’s Word is replete with references alluding to greatness through the avenue of challenges (Luke 24:26). Greatness does not come cheap; it comes at a great price. For every prize to be received in life there is a price to be paid!

        Perhaps, one of the major reasons this present hardship has come is to task our initiatives so that we can individually and collectively rise to the top of the situations and become champions.

        Weep not that you are faced with challenges. Cheer up because you have challenges. Wake up from your slumbering. Roll up your sleeves and go to work in search of solutions.

        I am not here to cry with you. I am here to challenge you. I am not here with a “What went wrong” message, telling you who owes you something. The truth of the matter is that no one owes you anything – your parents do not owe you anything, your governments do not owe you anything; Nigeria does not owe you anything – you owe yourself everything! America’s greatness is anchored on this challenging statement by one her past presidents, “Do not think of what American can do for you but think of what you can do for America!”  Because of this mental attitude, America has unleashed her creative ingenuity on the world and bestrode the globe like a colossus.

Today, America has become the global leader. The moment America coughs, the rest of the world catches cold. America’s greatness is built on the debris of hardship. By all standards, Nigeria is far better endowed in natural resources and climatic conditions than America. Yet, we complain of poverty and hardships. We have no reasons whatsoever to complain. Until we individually and collectively rise up to the challenge, unleash our creative energies, we will remain victims of hardships and not victors.  

     You were created for a purpose, rise up to the occasion and fulfill it!            

HARDSHIPS AND PROBLEMS ARE NATURAL AND UNIVERSAL

        It is on records, Biblically, historically and experientially that man’s second nature is problem (Job 14:1). By definition, problem is any hindrance, burden or heartache/headache which remains a cog in the wheel of our enjoyments of life.

        There is a good side to problems as well as a bad side to it. Good – because it prepares you for a greater challenge and success in life. It is universally acknowledged that problems have a way of tasking the creative ingenuities of people, empowering them to solve existing problems and provide succour for others. The saying, “Necessity is the mother of invention” best illustrates this truism.   

        Anyone who runs away from problems of life is not qualified for the success of life. Problems have a way of launching people into greatness (cf. Acts 14: 22; Luke 24: 26). Do not pray for a problem-free life but for the grace to face your problems and overcome them. To pray for a problem-free life is like a student praying for an examination-free education. The fact remains that the higher you climb the ladder of life the higher your challenges. Do not run away from problems, learn to face them.

        The bad side of problems is that often they leave one agonizing for hours, days or weeks on end. Sometimes, they leave one frustrated and confused. But, do not worry because out of the, “Eater came something to eat and out of the strong will come something sweet” (Judges 14:14).

        God’s Word in Job 14:1 makes us understand that problems are universal. So, do not think that you are alone. There is no single person on earth without problems. In view of this, we must avoid the thinking that the world is worst on us.

UPWARD, INWARD AND OUTWARD LOOKS TO THE RESCUE

        What makes the difference between losers and winners in the battle of life? It is knowledge or a lack of it. Three keys to facing our challenges and overcoming our hardships are what I call Upward, Inward and Outward Look.

The Upward Look (Psalms 121:1-2)

        The upward look is a look unto the Lord (Psalms 34:5; Psalms 123:2). The upward look was the solution to problems faced by Israelites in Jehoshaphat’s days (II Chronicles 20:12-15).

        Why upward look? Because Heaven has the solution for earthly problems (II Kings 6:26-27).

The Inward Look (Philippians 1:16; 2:13)

        “God is at work in you.” This is to say that if God is at work in me, I should have an inward look. Sometimes the key to solving our problems is right inside us. Unfortunately, many do not look inside themselves but keep running helter-skelter. The upward look often leads to the inward look.

        Sometimes when we go to God or cry to Him, He directs us back to ourselves (Exodus 14:14-16). The inside look could be a look at our abilities, talents and opportunities. Sometimes it could be a look inside our houses or environments to see solutions (II Kings 4:1-7). 

        Before complaining and running around in despair and frustration, look inside yourself, your house or your environment.

The Outward Look (I Corinthians 10: 13) 

        There is always a “way out.” What it takes is a careful look - outward and the solution will be seen lying either carelessly or carefully stashed somewhere, awaiting our exploration and exploitation.

        The problem with many people is that they do not look around them. God has provided “open doors” of escape (Revelations 3:8).

        When faced with certain problems, after consulting with Heaven in the upward look, examined yourself in the inward look, then lift up your eyes for your redemption is near in the outward look (cf. Luke 21: 28).

CAPACITY-BUILDING: A PANACEA

Capacity-building is increasing your ability to become relevant in social, economic, spiritual and professional scheme of things.

WHY CAPACITY-BUILDING?

1.   Capacity-building keeps you ahead of your peers and competitors. Knowing what others do not know is a plus for you.

2.   Capacity-building is sharpening yourself (Ecclesiastes 10:10). Capacity-building is understanding your Unique Selling Points (USP) – knowing what you have that others do not have and knowing what you can do that others cannot do or do them the exact way that you do them.

3.   Knowing what makes you different, what you can do differently to add value to people and positioning yourself strategically is what makes for capacity-building.

4.   Increasing and applying knowledge. Application of knowledge to specific needs is a secret many people are not willing to share easily with you. Knowledge and its proper application is a major success-factor in life.

5.   Capacity-building breeds poly-functionality. Your ability to switch from a mono-functionality mode to a poly-functionality one makes for capacity-building.

SECRETS TO MAKING MONEY      

        When we talk of hardship, people most time refer to lack of money. Because money answers all things (Ecclesiastes 10:19), lack of it makes hardship a common property.

How then do you make money? This is the secret of ages. There is no particular model. What works for one may not necessarily work for another. Succinctly stated, while money-making requires elements of financial intelligence, it principally has to do with commonsense. The hard aspect of commonsense is that it is not common. No one can be taught commonsense by attending Harvard University, Lagos Business School, etcetera. It is available to all of us in larger quantities. The key is possessing ability in identifying and utilizing commonsense.

        In money-making, commonsense teaches you to look where others overlook, to see worth in worthless things and places. In money-making, you must learn to respect Kobo for Naira to be able to honour your invitation to make your treasure box its abode. To make money, you must first of all:

1.   Identify a need.

2.   Identify source of meeting identified needs.

3.   Being the bridge between the need and the needy.

4.   Setting machineries in motions towards harnessing the opportunities available and your potentials as the go-getter.

ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE; GAIN SKILLS

        We live in a knowledge-driven world where our abilities to unleash our potentials are a function of what we know and what we can do with what you know. In view of this, you must endeavour to learn, unlearn and re-learn. Proverbs 4:7 states that “…Wisdom is the principal thing.” To be sure, knowledge is the younger brother to wisdom.

Next to knowledge are skills. To add value and strategically position yourself to unleash yourself, skills become the next ally you need. Skills are innate potentials transformed into marketable qualities. Some skills are inborn while some are learnt. If there is a skill you think you need to actualize your entrepreneurial objectives, go, acquire it. The difference between LEARN and EARN is the letter “L.” Therefore, your ability to earn is a function of your ability to learn. Learn something, acquire some skills, no matter how infinitesimal it may seem, improve on that skill and you will be surprised at how a great entrepreneurial effort will spring there from. 

DEVELOP AND MARKET YOUR SKILLS

Exercise your giftings – Fan your gift into flame (II Tim. 1:6-7). Tell the world who you are and what you can do with who you are (John 7:3-4). Although, this piece of advise given to Jesus in John 7:3-4 by some of His kinsmen was in bad faith, it obviously is one of the most PR and advertising counsels anyone would give or receive. It all boils down to this – tell the world who you are and what you can do. Nobody knows the stuff you are really made of until you say it by yourself. You are your own best PR and advertising agency. Dare anyone to dare you on that which is or are your unique selling points. A trial will go a long to convince anyone who is doubtful of your claims. 

CONCLUSION

    To empower yourself economically requires more hard work than goodluck. There are two types of luck - one is illusory but the other is real. Real luck is when opportunity meets preparation.

    Do not befriend mediocrity. Avoid the company of lazy people. Work hard and give no sleep to your eyes. Pray and seek the face of GOD (Job 8:5-7, 21).   

    Thank you and may God richly bless all of us in Jesus’ name!