So first of all I feel like I need to record just how happy I am in this moment. I was thinking about how on a happy meter of 1 - 10 I'm at 10. I am crazy happy, and it makes no sense. I have to find an apartment in less than a month, buy a 'computer', (I'm getting the new iPad Pro with the magic keypad instead) furnish my apartment, while creating content and doing everything else I'm called to do. If I look at my life circumstances, then I shouldn't be this happy, but I have a joy in my soul that comes from God. The type of joy that is not affected by outside circumstances. Might be because I heard God speak some lovely things to me yesterday, and He gives peace that surpasses all understanding.
Anyway so that's not what this post is about. I want to talk about not letting clout overrule character.
I met this guy the other day on the metro. He's Nigerian, so we got to talking, and exchanged numbers, because he needed someone to cook for him for a fee, and I do that as well. Anyway, later he started to tell me how he likes me, and I explained to him that I'm seriously committed to someone, and so I cannot see him or anything like that. We agreed to be friends, and for me to cook for him for a fee as previously agreed.
Anyway as is usual with guys, he still tried to talk to me, and then he asked me to go on a trip with him to Ankara for a couple days. The thing about it is that it's a wonderful opportunity, especially for my blog, and my Youtube vlogs. It's one of the things that I intend to do in time. And it was offered on a platter to me for free. All expense paid. Wonderful opportunity right?
The only issue with it is that choosing to go would be choosing clout over character. I could easily frame it as choosing to grow my blog and all that, but what it really is, is clout. I asked him how he would feel if his girlfriend went on a trip with a guy she just met, and he said he won't like it, and I was like exactly.
This week on my Conversations with Yoma IGTV series, I talked about subtle temptations. Ones that look like they're not so harmful on the surface, because they're not obvious sins or crimes, or obvious bad things, but they contribute to your character, and what you're building it to be. To build good character you're going to have to choose delayed gratification a lot of the time. You're going to have to know what your values really are, and stick to them, no matter what your life is currently saying. You're going to have to decide that other people's behavior isn't the determining factor in the decisions you make, especially when you're in a relationship. You're going to have to respect time, and know that just because you want something right now, just because you know your purpose, and what you're supposed to be doing doesn't mean you're ready for it. There's a process, and you don't want to skip the process, because the miracle, joy, peace, and everything you really want is in the process. The real success is built into the process, and that's why a lot of people even with all they have don't feel successful, because they skipped the process.
So I hope that this helps someone today who is on the verge of making a decision that looks good on the surface, but is really not a good idea in reality. I hope you choose to build your character instead of choosing clout that comes from people and is only for a moment, because whatever people can give, they can take away in a moment.
Love, Yoma.
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