Misri Syndrome

"What if we'd never broken up? May be he/she'd have changed. What if I hadn't quit that job? I'd probably have a promotion by now. What if I hadn't left? What if I hadn’t moved out? What if I'd taken up the opportunity? I wouldn't be struggling financially like this. What if you and I had gotten married instead of you and him/her? What if......?

I wish I could go back to the time when......  If I could go back in time, I would...."

The 'what ifs' and the 'I wish(s)' are what I'm referring to as the 'Misri Syndrome'.

For those who don't know, Misri is Swahili for Egypt, but I'm using it to connote 'the past'. Before you say anything, I have nothing against Egypt or Egyptians for that matter. I actually have a bunch of good Egyptian friends and its one of the countries I'd like to visit someday soon. Hear me out.

We've all had our shares of "what ifs" and "I wish"......  Happens to the best of us. Especially when God has given you a promise and nothing seems to be happening now.

Like I've mentioned before, there's a process we have to go through to arrive at our destiny. The process is a series of phases/stages that vary depending on the season you're in per time. Therefore it is important to be in constant communication with God, to know the season you're in. It is through this process that we build muscle to handle the next thing on God's agenda for us.

Some seasons are easy and some are tough (ask me I know! I'm in one right now-story for another blog) 

God had just brought out the children of Israel from Egypt where they'd been slaves for many generations. He'd seen them through the Red sea, eliminated their adversaries, provided them with water and a heavenly dish they called maana and for a while it was kinda going well. (Exodus)

Then in Numbers 11:4-5, the Israelites are tired of the wilderness and of the maana and can't help reminiscing on the fish, leeks, onions, garlic etc that they had back when they were in Egypt. Where was the promised land flowing with milk and honey? They were going through a wilderness season and their eyes were not 'what season are we in and what is God doing?' Their hearts were set on the 'What if we hadn't left, we'd still be enjoying ABC in Egypt. How I wish we could.....' (The Misri Syndrome)

Many times we read scripture and criticize the Israelites for, murmuring against God and looking back on yesterday. Yet we are worse that they were (Dude! remove the log from your eye!). They say walk a mile in someone's shoes before you open your judgmental mouth. And 'they' are right.

Christ died and rose, restoring us back to Him. And now we have the privilege of having the Holy Spirit dwell in us to always comfort, advice, pray for and direct us through all seasons (John 14:16, 16:7, 13-15). They, on the other hand had Moses to mediate between them and God, and did not have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them like we do. So don't you for one minute critic them. But I'm not here to justify their behavior, what they did is still wrong.

I have had my share of 'what ifs', just last week I went through a 'what if' moment about someone and this week I was having one on part of my Misri (Dubai). I've been in a bit of a tight spot financially, and I couldn't help drifting back to when I had x amount of money to enjoy ABC in my Misri.

Here's what I've come to learn: When God gives you a word- a promise about the future, then guess what? You are so about to need it to keep hope alive.

Abraham was promised children. The stars (promise) God showed Him was a picture that would help him keep hope alive for the next 25yrs season that followed. Joseph was given dreams (promise), and we all know what happened to him before the dreams came to be. God has told me about living in financial abundance, but there's currently no manifestation of that in my life AT ALL! (Stay tuned for details, in future blogs)

On Sunday He sent someone to remind me on that promise. But on Monday I was really down as I had a recap of my financially stable life in Misri. If you're my FB friend you saw the post. I'd allowed the thing to start eating me up, But God, would have none of it. I have a support group of unrelated friends here in Kenya and in the diaspora who keep me in check spiritually. Immediately after the post, I got a tsunami of encouraging messages and calls that slapped me out of Misri and back to focus. (Thanx guys, love y'all lots!)

Here is one of those many messages that warmed my heart.....

So what do we do now?

Bill Johnson says "The simplest way to stay encouraged is to feed your heart on what He is doing, not on what He hasn't done. If you can't see what He is doing, feed on what He has done in the past."

This helps keep hope stirred up in you and refrains you from catching the Misri syndrome.

My friend Rowzie and I decided we'll each keep a gratitude jar, where we'll write and keep in there what God has done and is doing. We'll then keep reviewing what we put in there. You are welcome to join us in keeping the Misri syndrome at bay

Graham Cooke says that “rejoicing over the outcome of the promise before it has happened, produces strength to see you through the process. This strength then fans your Faith, and faith produces trust. Trust in God, that even though you don't see what's happening, you know He'll fulfill His promise at the right time.”

Paul says ".....forgetting those things which are behind." (Philippians 3:13NKJV)

You can’t forget Misri by engaging thoughts about it, you forget by replacing thoughts about it with new thoughts: of gratitude and of God's promises for your life. I'm not saying that it will be easy, but God's grace is sufficient, we just need to make a conscious decision to renew our minds on a daily basis. And of course I can’t close my blog before reminding you about the place of intimacy with God. 

Dr. Mark Chironna says “It is easier to quit than to persevere. The sad reality is that achievement often lies just beyond your greatest bouts with discouragement."

 

Don't give up, we're almost there!

I hereby declare this; a Misri Syndrome free zone!