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Opinion: Thriving in Trying Times (Pt. 1)
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By Tolulope A. Adegoke
“Until you are tried (pushed), you will not strive, if you do not strive, you may not thrive!” – Tolulope A. Adegoke
Until you are tried, you can’t thrive! In the process of being tried, man must strive not to remain on the floor. This period could feature any of the following processes: from crawling to walking, from walking to running, from running to flapping, from flapping to flying, and from flying to soaring. Trying times are periods of struggles, challenges, lockdowns and knockdowns! It could be terrifying, tempting, difficult and annoying but certainly, it’s a period when the challenged person needs to make some life-changing decisions either to be emotionally drawn in the situation (scenario) or get up and fight by maximizing the storm to discover innate potentials and build capacities beyond the ordinary. It is a period of systematically confronting and conquering one’s fears. It could really be energy sapping (exhausting), it’s a period of fighting hard psychologically, spiritually and morally.
It is a period of aligning your psychological, financial, physical and spiritual strengths to find meaning to your existence. Life is a series of peaks and valleys. Sometimes you are up and sometimes down. But our trying times is when we need more supports, push and guidance. We must understand that it is how we respond and confront our challenges that define how strong we are. This tests of times are revealers of those that are true to us. But we become happier in life as we improve on our abilities to navigate this trying period, and we also grow as a being or an entity.
Your trying times might be a serious health challenge, dealing with patients in your (hospital) wards, marriage, children, relationship, career or customers amongst others; trying times are inevitable. Your Spiritual, Physical, Emotional and Mental (SPEM) strength are usually tested during those trying times. And without adequate ‘SPEM’ strength, life’s inevitable challenges are likely to fill you up with self-doubts and anxiety, uncomfortable feelings lending to negative vibes, thoughts which affect or influence your behavioural pattern, which can turn your catastrophic predictions into a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Life comes with different seasons: good times and bad times as unveiled in the Holy Book [Ecclesiastes 3:1] “there is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for events under heaven” (NASB). Every purpose, activity and situation simply reveals what time and stages we are in. But the good news is that the Almighty God is unchanging through all the seasons. He says: “I am the Lord that does not change.” Not His integrity, His mercy, nor His faithfulness. However, to overcome in every changing seasons of life, we must adapt and engage the shield of FAITH as given us by God; because FAITH is the spiritual, psychological and moral weapon for all season. The Holy Book in 1John 5:4 reveals that: “For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”
Currently, the is an ongoing global crisis against humanity, that is the COVID-19 (Coronavirus). We should understand that what is happening today is not new at all; in 1869, 1919 there were pandemics that ravaged the world. Here is where the hope of our victory lies; if God could put a stop to the plagues in times past, He will solve it again; because He alone is the Almighty.
Among others are what trying times does:
One. Trying times is a REVEALER; it truly reveals who you are. Everyone can fake that he or she is strong before their trying moments, but when trying times emerges; that is when you know who you truly are and where you truly stand. Many people tend to play the blames on God in their trying times- these categories of persons want to get their crowns without going through CROSS; such people want the testimonies without passing through the TESTS.
Trying moments reveals our true identity, our strength, weaknesses among others- that is why the Holy Book reveals in Proverbs 24:10: “…if you faint in the day of adversity your strength is small (AMP).”
Two. Trying moments gives us the opportunity to put to test all that we have learnt over the years. Every word of God that has been deposited your heart are to prepare you for battles. Your works/ strengths would be tested in trying times. There are messages you have heard some two to four years ago, such that if something happen today, those words would act as weapon which God had given you in advance to prepare you to lead and conquer. Some of us do not know the power we possess until we feature in trying moments.
Three. Trying times should not make us run away from The Maker, God Almighty; but should push us to run to Him: Just as the Holy Book, Proverbs 18:10 reveals “the name of the Lord is a Strong Tower; the righteous runneth into it, and it is safe.” (KJV).
WAY FORWARD- in Trying Times
The word of God is the solution to every problem; it is the way out of every challenge of life when applied. God uses life events to shake the trees of our lives so that the rotten fruits and withered leaves can drop off. He is shaking the Heavens and the Earth so that the things that cannot be shaken can stand. If we are very observant to current issues around the world, it is vividly clear that the so-called nations that we think are ‘up there’, the scourge of Covid-19 (Coronavirus) has exposed and humbled virtually all of them, they all now find solace in the power beyond science (Artificial Intelligence), God Almighty. These were the so-called nations that had almost totally rejected the full (gospel of the) existence of God over mankind. In a nutshell, God uses trying times to humble mankind and prove His Supremacy as the Almighty in the affairs of men; in a bid to draw us closer to Him.
The first way forward on your to-do-list is to know what-not-to-do. Many times, we say this is what I will do, it may not be as effective as knowing ‘what not to do’. It is not what you should do that matters, it is what not to do in trying times- that is the wisdom we got from the Almighty God in the Holy Book of Exodus 20 when He was giving the Ten Commandment. He didn’t at first state to them what He needs them (Israelites) to do, but ‘what not to do,’ then at the latter end stated what to do. Exodus 20:3 reveals: “you gods before or besides Me” (AMP). God didn’t say “you must serve Me,” but He is saying: Know what you shouldn’t do, that is, “you shall not have any god besides me, you shall not make for yourself an idol, you shall not bow down yourself to them or serve them. God began to give them a list of what they shouldn’t do.
In your trying times, you must first of all, know what not to do; that will help you to know what you should do.
Seven Things You Shouldn’t Do in Trying Times that Guarantees Our Staying Power to Overcome are:
One. Do not FEAR! The Holy Book in Psalm 91:5 reveals that “thou shall not be afraid…” we could see the covenant of God in that scripture that if God should say do not fear, then why should you be afraid. Put your trust in Him, cast your care unto Him, then follow His full instructions or directions per-time; of what use or need is speed when there is no direction?
Even when everything around us points towards fear, always remember that God has instructed us not to fear, and none of His words would fall to the ground. The word ‘fear not’ is very instructive and important. It is one of the most important and common phrases in the Bible; but why is it so common and important? ‘fear not’ is God’s ‘stability phrase’, it is our shock absorber. Why is it so important- Isaiah 41,43, Genesis 15? A researcher or Bible scholar unveiled that the word ‘fear not’ appears 365 times in the Holy Book which connotes that there is a ‘fear not’ dosage for each day.
‘Fear not’ is our God’s Spiritual First Aid. God will not start a major thing just anyhow. Firstly, He stabilizes you by saying “fear not.”
A classic example was when a man came to Jesus Christ to plead to heal his daughter, as the scripture reveals that Jesus was the only hope the man had. Jesus Christ agreed to follow him to his house to heal the daughter but was later interrupted by the woman with the issue of blood, and Jesus ministered to the woman which slowed down his movement to the man’s house; then, someone brought a piece of sad news to the man that he shouldn’t bother the Master (Jesus) that his daughter is dead, “don’t trouble the master.” But when Jesus Christ heard the news, he told the man “fear not; only believe.” (Luke 8:50) KJV. That is the word of God will come to us not to fear when everything around us is pointing toward the direction of fear. So, in our trying times, the first what not to do is ‘FEAR NOT!’ it is a gentle command from our Maker to us (His Children) as a message of HOPE to help trigger our faith for the delivery of our desires.
Two. We must not be SILENT. A closed mouth is a closed destiny. Almost all the covenant of God in the Bible are voice and word activated, and we saw that throughout the scriptures, starting from Genesis 1, every time God wants to activate His covenant, He speaks! When God wanted to revive the dry-bones nothing happened until the word was spoken- Ezekiel 37 “Can these dry bones live again? Ezekiel replied “only God knows, then, God instructed to prophesy and he said “…so I prophesied as I was commanded when I began to speak, then God began to move.” God activates His covenants by Spoken words, as seen in Psalm 91:2 ‘I will say of the Lord…’ Hebrews 13:5-6 “…He had said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.” “so that we might boldly say, the Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” In trying times, know that the covenant of God is word activated and you must not shut your mouth, you must speak! The Book of Genesis 1:2-3 reveals that nothing happened, even when the Spirit of God was moving on the surface of the waters until God said: “let there be light.” We must speak FAITH; we must speak it consistently and we must be cautious of our utterances. Don’t just be silent, and when speaking, avoid negative words- remember what the Holy Book (Ecclesiastes 5:6) says: “say not before an angel that it was an error.” We must know what to say and know how to say it. We must be bold (confident); speak with intensity. When situation refuses to change, change it with your spoken words of faith.
Three. Thou Shall Not Disobey or Ignore Natural Wise Instructions and Guidelines for Your Safety. Most of the time, we over-spiritualize things, so much that we ignore wise counsels and other cautions that are natural. Joshua in the Holy Book was fighting the physical battle while the hand of Moses was raised – Exodus 17:9-11. Kindly ask yourself, what are the spiritual and natural things you are consistently doing. For instance, the case of the Covid-19 has compelled a lockdown in virtually all nations, it will, therefore, be wise to follow laid down guidelines issued by the government and the health bodies in order to prevent or avert further spread of the virus.
Four. You must not stop praying. Holy Bible says, pray without ceasing. We must not stop praying- Luke 18:1. Prayer fortifies and purifies us. It aligns us with divinity, so as to intervene in our humanity.
Five. You must not be slack in your confessions of FAITH. Don’t stop it.
Six. You must not doubt; you must keep believing. The Holy Book reveals that a double-minded person can never receive anything from the Lord. As you are confessing, it is revealed in the Scripture in 2 Corinthians 4:13 “we, having the same Spirit of faith, according to as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken, we also believe, and therefore speak.” If you say it and you do not believe it, it becomes useless and worthless.
Seven. You should not be selfish in trying times. Don’t let your prayer only focus on you. We cannot be praying for our country alone and not remember other countries. If our country is safe and others are not safe, then we are not safe. Do not let your prayers be limited or restricted to only you. Jesus Christ, our great exemplar while on the cross in His trying time was still blessing people and giving them the grace of second chance (a case study of the thief on the right-hand side of his cross). Jesus Christ prayed “Lord do not count this against them, forgive them their sins, for they do not know what they are doing. 2 Corinthians 6:9-10 reveals “As unknown and yet well known, as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed, as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, as poor, yet making many rich, as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
In your trying times do not shut down. Always do your best to be productive, and positively inclined. As you do all these things, the Lord will turn the situation around. So, what to do is knowing what not to do. As soon as we begin to focus on the things that we should not do, then we will know the right things to do.
The Book of Isaiah 30:15 reveals: “for thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; in returning and rest shall ye be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.” God is saying to you to calm down, be still and know that He is God [Psalm 46:10]. God is still on the throne and He will turn things around. He will turn your trying times into thriving times for you, and your testimonies shall be full. He will strengthen your faith and give you a lasting solution.
Stay Safe,
Stay Sane,
Stay Sanctified!
Thank you all for reading.
(Thriving in Trying Times continues next week…)
Watch out for the Book titled: “The Power of an Empowered Zero” (From Zero to HERO) by Tolulope A. Adegoke. Foreword by Dr Yomi Garnett (CEO/Chancellor, Royal Biographical Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania U.S.A., U.K., Abuja, Nigeria.) Edited by Ola Aboderin.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged President Bola Tinubu to take immediate steps to reduce the cost of petrol, saying Nigerians are struggling with the combined impact of high energy, transportation and food prices.
Atiku made the call on Friday in Abuja during a press briefing on fuel prices, palliatives and the rising cost of living. His comments came amid renewed concerns over the effect of higher petrol prices on households and businesses.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate said the removal of petrol subsidy in May 2023 placed additional pressure on families, workers, farmers and businesses.
He said the effect of higher petrol prices was not limited to motorists, as increased transportation and logistics costs had also pushed up the prices of food and other essential goods.
“When government makes energy expensive, it makes life expensive,” Atiku said.
The former vice president recalled that he had previously called for government intervention to reduce petrol prices, but said Tinubu had dismissed the proposal as showing “serious ignorance” of governance and the economy.
Atiku questioned whether the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), petroleum marketers, manufacturers and ordinary Nigerians who had raised concerns about rising costs could all be described as ignorant.
“When workers, producers, marketers and ordinary families are all raising the alarm, government must listen,” he said.
He said the government should be prepared to review its policies when their consequences become difficult for citizens to bear, adding that rising production costs were putting further pressure on manufacturers while families were finding it harder to afford basic goods.
Atiku also argued that government revenue and GDP figures did not necessarily reflect the economic reality facing ordinary Nigerians.
“If government receives more Naira while the citizen’s naira buys less food, less fuel, less electricity and less transportation, then bigger government revenues mean little to the family struggling to survive,” he said.
The ADC candidate urged Tinubu to use the remaining eight months of his first term to reduce the burden on Nigerians and consider any measure capable of lowering petrol prices, even if the proposal came from a political opponent.
“What matters to me is that Nigerians pay less,” Atiku said. “A sensible idea does not become a bad idea because it came from your opponent.”
He also offered to make his policy framework available to the Tinubu administration, saying Nigerians should not have to wait for a new government before benefiting from policies that could provide relief.
“If you need the framework, I will provide it. Implement it under your government. Give it whatever name you choose. Take the credit,” he said.
“I ask for only one thing: Let Nigerians breathe.”
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Passion and purpose are among the most debated topics in the human development space. It’s a grey area that has attracted a lot of attention. While some schools of thought believe it’s better to focus on passion, other schools of thought believe that it’s profitable for one to focus on a job that pays the bills.
According to the latter school of thought, passion doesn’t pay the bills. Well, depending on the schools of thought one subscribes to, I personally believe it pays more for one to pursue passion than profit, and I will explain in a minute.
I strongly believe passion is stronger than power because when one loves what one is doing, there’s an inherent strength that comes with it, but if one doesn’t like what they are doing, they’ll lack the moral strength to forge on.
Let me share a practical example with you. My late dad encouraged me to study Taxation Law at New York Law School, a major I didn’t like. He had the mindset that money rules the world, which I tend to believe because when money talks, the world “generally” seems to move around. That mindset and principle is relatable; however, it’s not applicable in other cases because there are some people or situations where money doesn’t move around.
My late dad believed it makes no sense for me to read a major and remain unemployable or poor. So, when I arrived in the United States, the economy was experiencing a recession, and there were no jobs at the time. So, while I was passionate about studying International Relations, Energy Law, or Communications Law, my late dad sat me down and said, based on the information he was receiving from his friends, these are great courses, but when I graduate, it will be hard to find a job because most people in those firms are laying off employees.
According to my late dad, his friends suggested that since I have a legal background, tax law is the only major I can study and be guaranteed a job because people and corporations will always file their tax returns. I initially objected to this advice because my brain is not wired for numbers. I really struggled to accept this advice because I hated numbers with passion.
My late dad would later tell me, you know we are from a humble background, and so we need money. My late dad would always say, “You wouldn’t want to study international law or communication, and the only thing you can do very well is speak English while remaining poor. One fact about my late dad was that he liked money to a stupor. According to him, after God, the most important thing in the world is money.
After much hesitation, I decided to study the major to make my late dad happy because I saw how happy he would be when I studied tax law. If truth be told, I wasn’t happy studying the major. I really struggled with the major. I managed to get a scholarship and graduated with a decent grade, but getting a job was challenging because employers could see that I didn’t like the major each time I went for an interview.
At the end of the day, I managed to get a job as a Case Manager for a private organization and later as the Legal Coordinator for the New York City Department of Correction. An important point to note here is that, after I left the tax firm, I was intentional about applying for jobs I was passionate about. Money to me was a secondary concern because I strongly believe that when you love what you do and you are good at it, money will surely find you.
I had to share this practical experience to give an insight into the importance of focusing on passion. Don’t get me wrong, money is good, but I personally feel there are more valuable things than money, and a perfect example is marrying a kind man as opposed to marrying a man with money, or marrying a lady with good character as opposed to marrying a lady with a good physique.
It’s instructive to note that when I began to focus on what I love to do, I had to spend time on honing my skills, developing myself by attending relevant training sessions and taking courses that would distinguish me from my contemporaries. It didn’t take long for me to receive recognition for my work. I was celebrated for being a trailblazing author of three books on television; I was interviewed by The New York Times in addition to meeting resourceful global leaders. In all sincerity, I doubt if I would have received accolades assuming I focused on taxation or doing what would give me money.
The moral of this analysis is that while profit is good, passion is much better because it will give one the necessary satisfaction and fulfilment they deserve. To understand how this works, one might make good money in a job but won’t be happy, but someone else might make little money and be happy in what they are doing. If research is done on what makes one happy, most people will likely say it is their passion or what they love to do that makes them happy as opposed to the job they do. It’s only a fragment of people who will attribute their happiness to the job they do, and that’s simply because they have truly figured out who they are or are probably happy and passionate about the work they do.
Let me explain a little: your profession is what you are trained to do as a doctor, lawyer, accountant, or engineer. Your vocation is what you are trained to do as a skilled worker or one with a 9-to-5 job, but your ministry is your calling, and that’s why you find your talent or gift and passion. So, one’s passion can be found in what they love to do.
When one’s profession is aligned with one’s vocation and ministry, then success is bound to be present because passion is at play.
It’s instructive to note that most of the great people I know in the world have become famous because they were doing what they love to do. I recently attended an award ceremony where my alma mater, Baruch College, celebrated alumni who have distinguished themselves. One of the award recipients, Ms. Doris Gonzalez, stated in her speech, “Of all the jobs I have had in my life, this is my best job. I really love my job”. I strongly believe there is a form of spiritual blessing and success that comes when one is happy doing what one is passionate about.
In conclusion, if one is desirous of succeeding in life, please endeavor to focus on your passion; if you can’t find it, explore what makes you happy. When you find what makes you happy, develop and monetize it, and in no distant time, opportunities and recognition will begin to triple in.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the founder of Gloemi. He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate, creative writer, and author of Design Your Destiny- Actualizing Your Birthright to Success, Unleash Your Destiny and The Six Pillars of Success. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has released his handover document to counter the Anambra State Government’s claims that his administration left behind loans and other financial liabilities.
Obi’s challenge followed the release of his handover note, which showed the financial position of the State at the end of his administration.
The Interim National Coordinator of the Obedient Movement, Dr. Yinusa Tanko, published the handover document dated March 17, 2024, on Wednesday.
The document contained a summary of Anambra State’s financial position as of the close of business that day and showed a net positive balance of over N86 billion.
Tribune Online had earlier reported that the Anambra State Government said it is still repaying loans obtained by previous administrations, including those of former governors Peter Obi and Willie Obiano.
The Commissioner for Finance, Izuchukwu Okafor, disclosed this on Sunday while speaking on the Ndi Anambra podcast released by the government’s New Media team.
Okafor said the inherited loans remained part of the financial commitments of the current administration, despite the Soludo government’s decision not to obtain fresh commercial bank loans since taking office.
Obi, however, rejected the claim and asked the Soludo administration to provide evidence to support its position. He also said he would end his campaign for the 2027 presidency if the allegation could be proven.
The Anambra State Government later disputed Obi’s claim that he left office without outstanding debts or other unpaid financial obligations.
The government maintained that its records showed that some liabilities incurred during Obi’s administration, as well as obligations inherited by it, remained unpaid.
In a statement titled; “Gov Peter Obi and Record of Public Debt in Anambra: Facts Beyond Propaganda and Lies,” the Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Law Mefor, described Obi’s position on the State’s debt profile as false.
Mefor said eight external loans connected to projects implemented during Obi’s administration, or inherited by it, were still outstanding.
According to him, the loans had a combined balance of $92.35 million, which the State government said was equivalent to N127.37 billion as of June 30, 2026.
