Last
evening, something really frustrating happened to me. I let out a deep sigh and
shared my conundrum with my husband Kenya.
He starts singing “I Won’t Complain,” while exercising zero voice control.
My soul mate, I must say, is an amazing community organizer and one of the smartest people I know. He is also uniquely gifted to butcher a song.
Mr. Hobbs will jump several keys and release uncontrollable tremble in his voice that sends me over the edge.
It is the funniest thing.
By the time he was finished injuring that song, leaving it in critical condition, I was crying tears and hardly able to breathe. I got one of those good laughs in family.
After we finished clowning, Kenya said, “Now, I’ve got to go and listen to the song.”
So he pulled up both of our favorite version of “I Won’t Complain” on YouTube—the one written by Bishop William C. Abney and performed by the late Reverend Paul Jones.
That preacher’s performance of it was so powerful. No matter how many times I hear it, it never gets old to me.
Listening to it, I suddenly got curious about what happened to that particular singer. So my husband began researching about it.
I’m sure some people know already, but Kenya and I had no idea Reverend Jones, the 30-year-old Baptist pastor who delivered that soul-stirring performance, was murdered in 1990, according to reports, on the same night he recorded the song.
I was dumbfounded.
Two men apparently came into his home after midnight, shot him three times, and robbed him.
The song “I Won’t Complain” was actually released after his death.
He never even got to see the impact his ministry would have on the masses. All these years later, his voice is still blessing people everywhere.
“Wow, that really puts things in perspective,” I said to Kenya soberly. I wasn’t laughing anymore after I learned that.
It made me think about how we get so caught up and bothered by the simplest things in life. We let so many distractions come in and steal our focus, disturb our peace, rob us of our joy, and set us off.
While we’re facing obstacles and struggles, they feel so important and can be all-consuming, can’t they? If we don’t deliberately make an effort to remain calm and trust God, we’ll end up complaining, worrying and stressing.
“Man,” I told my husband, “I guess his work on earth was done after he sang that song.” He poured his heart and soul into that melody, which would be the last one he would ever belt out.
But the message lives on and is coming to you and me again today.
I don’t believe it was an accident that I got curious about the singer of that song. I sincerely know God used that moment to show me how minor my frustrations were last evening.
Furthermore, you and I won’t be here always. Tomorrow is not promised to us. We have to do a work for the Lord while there is still time. We must refuse to get sidetracked by the insignificant things of life that the enemy loves to use to derail our mission.
Today, to keep you zoned in on what is most important, I’m stirring John 9:4 NIV into your cup of inspiration. It says, “As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.”
When you drink down the contents of your cup, you will be refocused on the things of God. Your attention will be placed on what matters most: your divine purpose.
Despite what attacks are coming against you, what may be ailing or troubling you right now, through this blog post, God is letting you know that His will for your life should be your greatest concern.
Live for Him with everything you have, so when your time comes to an end, you will have deposited something in the earth to be a blessing to generations to come.
Leave a legacy of righteousness and an indelible imprint on the world’s landscape, so everyone who hears or reads about you will know, God worked through you to implement His greater plan.
When life gets hectic, keep that in mind.
Now let’s pray.
God, thank You for refocusing me on what matters most today, which is doing Your will, even when life gets to be distracting, discouraging and difficult to handle. In all things, help me keep my mind stayed on You, my heart fixed on You, and my hands working for You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!
If you need prayer, don't hesitate to request it. I would be honored to stand in faith with you. I know that prayer works. CLICK HERE to learn how to submit your prayer request.
