According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, a setback is something that happens or delays a process from happening.  From my experience, I have found that most of the setbacks involve some type of loss; life, general well-being, resources and other greatly valuable items.  With any type of loss, comes grief; a perfect catalyst for the red zone induction! 

The grief cycle is viciously repetitive, and ever so fresh with every new wound!

While lining up to check out at a regular grocery store, sometime back, I noticed the cashier to have a flat affect. I had taken note of her jovial personality in the past, and though we were not buddy-buddy, I immediately knew that something was wrong.  I could hardly wait to get to the counter, smile at her and perhaps strike a cheerful carrots and raisins conversation for the love of baking! The mere thought made my heart light up, almost wallowing in my own brilliance, when suddenly, I began to talk myself with obsessive precision as to why I needed to thoroughly mind my own business!  What? I immediately felt the weight of these two distinct split ideas, resting heavily upon my mind. I clenched my fists onto my buggy and while shaking my head, I exhaled! I wasn’t about to go mad in public! 

Although both ideas were valid, I began to agree more with the latter. All around the world, someone somewhere is going through a difficult time, and sometimes choosing not to talk about it, doesn’t mean that the never ending love and support from Family and Friends has been consigned to oblivion. Some days are just truly harder than others, and coming to terms with oneself, is all the cure there is! But when a shining light goes off from the world, you’re bound to flee at how fast the mask slips! We live for each other!

My turn finally came, I put on a smile, said a quick hello, and went quiet, just as I had promised myself. She said a quick hello back and proceeded with my check out.  I didn’t have a lot of items, but her pace was slower than the second coming!  When she got to the raisins, my heart started pounding. I could no longer contain myself! I smiled and finally asked, ‘how are you doing today?’ She looked at me and paused for a moment, as if I looked familiar, then said, ‘am alright, thanks for asking’. By this time, she was on my last item, and I began to get convicted over my thoughts for the last few minutes. As she handed me the receipt, I looked into her eyes and said, ‘thank you, God bless you and have a lovely day’, and began to walk away, fulfilled, while shaming my lying thoughts!

 ‘Actually Ma’am, could you hold on for a minute?’ She said as I walked away. I quickly looked back, with the certainty that she was addressing me. ‘Sure’, I said, and began to walk back to the counter. She hurried to attend to the other customer already in line, as I patiently waited by the side, hopeful that the Lord had seen my conviction and given me a chance to redeem myself!

Lo and behold! No sooner had the next customer loaded his buggy, than she took a piece of paper, wrote something on it and gave it to me saying, ‘I like your spirit. You look like you can pray. I would like for you to pray for my Son. That’s his name. I recently lost him to jail!’

Selah

There is nothing little about this light of mine, or yours either! Let it shine dear luminary! Let it shine, by God’s grace!

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 NIV

#InspiringYourLightToShine