Faith Friday: Why Isn't God on My Side?

'How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be' by Jack Canfield

I have always been an avid reader - thanks to my parents who instilled a love for reading in me by buying me books as birthday presents as a child.  From the moment I could read, books have been my staple soul food. I'm also a soul-searcher and I know my soul searching brothers and sisters can relate when I say this: books are our go-to source for solace and solutions. Self-help books, especially. When I was studying at varsity I had no time for non-academic books so I relished in my newfound freedom when I came back to Malaysia two years ago. I've read and collected various inspiring and resourceful self-help books about achieving inner peace, passion and success in life.

Here's why. 

I know I'm fortunate in many ways, alhamdulillah, but I'm not here to pretend my life is perfect. Setbacks? I've come across aplenty. Self-doubt? All the time, baby. Fear? It seems like the older I get the more of it I seem to have. Disappointments? Boy, I can't even...  So much so, I've asked, "Why isn't God on my side?".

But I've learned a lot from books; enough to keep me motivated and enlightened by the knowledge and experiences of others. This is important because emotional intelligence is the foundation of successful people, and we know the key to success is consistency and persistency but how do we achieve this? The books I've read have not taught me this, therefore take heed of this very valuable tip I'm about to share with you. 

This is what transformed me from a student with no direction to a First Class Honours graduate. This is what makes me a self-composed person (for the most part). This is how I've figure out what I truly want to do in life. This is how I fuel my dreams and goals, and compel myself to run ShaElaizaGalleria.com. This is what I've observed in successful and courageous individuals.

Patience. 

We hear this word all the time but patience should not only be prescribed to people who are angry but also to those who are disappointed, confused, upset and fearful. Patience cannot be learned from books but through practice. Plenty of practice, in fact. Setbacks, self-doubt, fear and disappointments are not only challenges but OPPORTUNITIES for us to practice and implement patience in our lives. The next time something doesn't quite go as you wanted try not to get too upset because hardship and challenges were not designed by Al-Khaliq (The Creator) to break you but to BUILD your character. 

Patience is not about putting up with unpleasant people or situations or doing nothing at all. Being patient is not passive. Sometimes it's about walking away but not necessarily giving up. Patience is being tenacious and resourceful, and constantly finding solutions and means for improvement. It's about being kind to yourself and others when you don't feel like it. Patience is a vital skill. Let me tell you why. You could be doing everything by the book, following the rules and precedents but you can still make mistakes and things can still go or feel wrong. Accept responsibility for your life, respond to the signs and focus on what you can change or control instead of what you can't.

Accept responsibility - respond - focus. 

Here's another tip: when you rely on others, the possible can become impossible but when you rely on the Almighty and He's got your back, the impossible can become possible. But how do you get God to be on your side?

“O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, God is with the patient.” (2:153)

If you want Him on your side, you have to trust Him and His wisdom. Love Him unlike anything or anyone you have ever loved and this means you have to be patient in your worship and daily life. Be ready to withstand a few storms to see rainbows. Try your best to perform every prayer and make every supplication (dua) with presence (khushu'). Never give up on your dreams and duas. Sometimes you have to wait to see results.

The next time you think God isn't on your side, practice patience because just when you think He isn't there for you in your time of difficulty, He will send help in forms you never thought were possible. And most of the time, the difficulty itself is the help that you need to lead to you the most important book - the Qur'an - and to learn one of the greatest skills you could ever have - patience.

Patience is the key to achieving amazing things. I said it once and I'll say it again: Never give up on your dreams and duas.