Hmmmm.

I think about this story and now I can smile and be grateful. At the time, smiling didn’t even come to mind. I’m grateful for this lesson learned, it showed me the best way.

I took a bus from Ikeja to Maryland a few weeks ago. Upon entry, the conductor kept shouting N50, Maryland bus. I was really glad because that was the amount I had in mind to pay.

As the journey progressed, the conductor began to collect the fare. I was sitting beside a young woman on the front row. She paid him N200 expecting to get a balance of N150 when the conductor said the bus fare was in fact N100. The lady went ballistic. And then there was an uproar as many of us attested to the fact that the guy mentioned 50 naira upon entry.

All attempts to sway the conductor proved abortive. Of course I put my N100 back in my purse and told the conductor plainly that I wasn’t giving him N100 until I got my N50 balance. He said I was just saying story, that the moment we got to Maryland, he would collect his money. I told him he would have to take my bag.

The Lord knows I was ready for him. I decided to commit the situation into the Lord’s hands. I hadn’t even prayed in tongues five minutes when I heard the Lord say, “Follow peace with all men.”

I wasn’t happy at all. I said, ‘Dad you know he told me N100. He isn’t even trying to be peaceful. He’s trying to cheat me here. Why would you tell me that? Besides I’ve already made so much boast about how I won’t pay him. How would I look to all these people?’

Thinking I had the Lord convinced, I proceeded to pray again and he told me, “Follow peace with all men.”

No, I wasn’t going to let that conductor get away with my money. I wasn’t happy and I told the Lord as much. Still, I knew what He wanted me to do and I knew that as much as I didn’t like it, I couldn’t disobey and I had to have the right attitude.

A few minutes later, as we got to Maryland, I took out my N100 and gave the conductor, then he said, ‘I thought you didn’t want to pay.’

I almost rolled my eyes. I just stood there and asked him for my balance. He said he didn’t owe me anything. So I playfully said nawa o, didn’t you say N50? He turned to me and said, no dey do like that o (don’t act that way next time). Afterwards he gave me my N50 balance and I sweetly told him thank you.

I was so glad. Happy that I had heeded the Lord’s voice. I could have fought the guy and still not gotten the money and maybe I would have but I wouldn’t have represented the Lord. I wouldn’t have had my peace and joy.

In that moment I understood about being yielded to God.

God has been showing me how much we in-fact benefit from yielding to His voice. You just never go wrong. No matter how unreasonable, if it’s God, just yield. It’s not the next best thing.

It’s actually the best thing. It’s the best way! The only way.

Sometimes yielding to God might not get you the result you desire but rest in the assurance that God sees the big picture and he knows what’s best for your future.

My prayer has just been that he helps me yield in all things. Remember, we’re not trying to try.

You can share in the comments if you’ve ever yielded and what happened. You could also share what occurred when you didn’t yield to God. I’ll love to read your stories. Remain in Him!