The WAR (We Are Ready) Series
Word War 3
Submission to the Word.
(A Short Story)
To most people, their mothers are the most treasured persons in their lives but not so for Sumbola Dickson. Since she surrendered her life to Christ five years before now, her mother has become the only thorn in her flesh.
Sunmbo is a fair skinned, short and plumpy lady of twenty-six years. Although short in stature, her long black hair, right cheek dimple and charming smile are features that distinguish her in a room full of women. She works as an auditor at a Micro-Finance Bank across town and lives alone with her mother.
The relationship between Sumbo and her mum had always been strained but it became worse the night Sumbo came home from a service that James, her childhood friend had invited her for, and announced to her mum with so much joy that she has become a new creation.
Mama Sumbo believed that her daughter’s an ill-fated child whose birth brought untold hardship and sorrow into her life. She had gotten married to her high school sweetheart and they had been living happily until Sumbo was conceived, the day Mama Sumbo was planning on breaking the news of her pregnancy to her husband was the day the news of his sudden death was broken to her and since then, the story of her life had moved from bad to worse.
She blamed Sumbo for her inability to get another man who would have married her. To her, it’s her daughter’s fault that she was never able to complete her university education or get a well paying job. It was Sumbo’s bad luck that did not allow her win a Visa Lottery like her old friend, Chioma, who now lives in the US. It was also her daughter’s fault that despite Mama Sumbo’s numerous affairs with several men, she never conceived again. Or else, she would have eliminated Sumbo a long time ago.
Sumbo struggled to put herself through school with very little help from her mother. Nothing she did, not even her impeccable academic record could change her mother’s belief system. Both mother and daughter revelled in misery until Sumbo encountered Christ.
Sumbo’s ‘bad luck’ was something her mother had been able to stomach but the joy that now radiates through her is something she can never bring herself to live with. Misery loves company. She has since made it her life goal to frustrate Sumbo until she recants her decision to live for Christ.
Sumbo’s mother shouts on her, hurl curses and abuses at her, embarrasses her in public and yet the Lord kept telling Sumbola to not move out and to keep interceding for her.
For five years, it was as if Sumbo was passing through fire but she kept moving on. There were times she had even gotten apartments but at the point of payment she wouldn’t be able to ignore the nudges of the Spirit, she would excuse herself and break into tears as soon as the was alone. She prayed a lot and God’s word in Hebrews 10:36 kept coming to her.
Whenever she was angry or sad at her mother, she prayed. She prayed until the very thought of her mum signified for her a call to prayer, and she yielded every time.
One morning, during her prayer time, she sensed a shift in the Spirit. On getting to the office she met a letter on her table, she has been promoted and will now work at the Head Office. The offer came with an official apartment and a car. She was so excited and she thought of calling James, her forever friend, to share the good news. Just then, his call came in, asking her if she would be free for lunch. She decided to delay the good news till lunch.
As she walked into their private lunch place, there he was on one knee with some balloons and a bouquet of flowers asking her to marry him.
She was still singing praises to God as she unlocked the door of her mother’s apartment later that evening but nothing that had happened during the day prepared her for the scene before her as she stepped into the Living Room.
Her mum was sprawled on the floor with a bible opened out before her crying out for God to have mercy on her. Sumbola couldn’t believe her eyes. As soon as Mama Sumbo sighted her, she started pleading with her for her forgiveness as well. She forgave her mum, resumed her new job and in due time, got married and had her own children on which she poured so much love on.
She now regularly get together with her mother for Bible Studies and to catch up on life generally. She was happy she was patient through the fire, she wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Obedience to the Word of God is very important. You cannot ‘weaponize’ the word if you are not totally submitted to it. The word works only when we obey.
2 Corinthians 10:6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. Dedicated to the Stephanos.
JesusCaresAndSoDoI- TiToluwaNiMi. Make a decision to submit to the Word totally this month, let’s talk about your testimony later. Smiles, happy new month to you and happy birthday to JDrums.