If God Is For Us, Fuel Subsidy Hardship Cannot Be Against Us -By Isaac Asabor

There is no denying the fact that not a few Nigerians are today starring hardship in the face as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 29, 2023 by mere declaration on his inauguration as Nigeria’s President where he told Nigerians, “Subsidy is gone”. These are Nigerians that voted for their preferred contestants in the last presidential and general elections across electoral constituencies in the country, and given the depth of suffering that they have been experiencing by each passing day since the subsidy was verbally removed before it was realistically removed, it seems the collective hope that inspired them to come out in their numbers to vote has been dashed.  In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say that since the subsidy was removed that they now scrape out a living and are gouged by black market prices. In fact, this writer heard that some of them have since then been escaping to other countries that are assumed to be livable only to be repatriated even as those who lack the wherewithal and knowledge to escape are crying.

Apart from those that are literarily bitten by the bug of “Japa”, there many poor individuals in Christendom that see hardship as the handiwork of those demonic elements in the spiritual realm. This trite fact is beyond dispute; after all it has been written that “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of darkness of this world and against spiritual wickedness in high places”. In fact, the biting hardship exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidy has now metamorphosed into an unbearable level of Poverty so much that it has become a serious issue to contend with. Its unbearableness has compelled not a few Christians to be spiritually attacking it in a violent manner. After all, the word of God says that “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force”.

Have you ever observed a deliverance service against hardship? If you have not you are missing a lot. Paul C. Jong in one of his books on Holy Spirit captured the scenario thus: “Those who attend such meetings tend to cry out instead of uttering prayers. When the atmosphere reaches its feverish peak, people scream out and faint in every corner. However, the preacher on stage keeps the microphone to his lips and makes the sound of the wind while he guides people ever deeper into religious fanaticism. He prays by speaking in strange tongues and jumps off stage to lay his hands on people’s heads”. No doubt, the foregoing aptly paints the picture of a typical deliverance service towards the casting out of demons that were satanically assigned to unleash the affliction of poverty on their victims. Hardship is unarguably excruciatingly gruesome. To free oneself from its stranglehold demands both spiritual and physical efforts.

Agreed, the problem of hardship may sometimes be spiritual, but have we asked if our leaders are truly putting us the people first in their socio-economic enhancement programme? Forces and elements in the spiritual realm may not be totally responsible for the preponderance of hardship as it might have been exacerbated in our society as a result of the seeming ineptitude, insensitivity, official malfeasance, corruption, tribalism, nepotism, materialism and any other factor which our leaders wittingly or unwittingly exhibit in the course of carrying out their official responsibilities.

In fact, atheist might have been wondering about who is listening to prayers been offered to God by those in Christendom, but as a Christian, permit me to reply them by saying that God listens to persistent prayer in the face of hardship, and in that light moves in divine ways as persistent prayers unarguably move Him.  The foregoing faithful assurance cannot be farfetched as Luke 18 reveals through the parable of the importunatewhich teaches us about fervency in prayer, particularly in verse 1-8. In the same scripture, it can be understood that the purpose of the parable is to encourage Christians to persevere in their faith against all odds. Given the depth of the scripture, it is expedient to say that the prevailing grinding hardship that is by each passing day emanating from the removal of subsidy will pale into insignificance in the life of everyone that obeys the injunctions that are inherent in the foregoing scriptures.

Again, most of us that are presently groaning under the weight of the burden thrust upon us by the removal of the fuel subsidy should always have it at the back of our mind that God has His purpose in our Hardships

At this juncture, it is expedient to contextually sermonize that we may not always perceive God’s presence during hardship, but He promised He will always be with us. The assurance that is inherent in the foregoing faithful and divine postulation cannot be farfetched as the Bible says much about hardship.

The Bible says when life is all about Christ, hardships are inevitable, and that there are many reasons why Christians go through hardships in life. Sometimes it is to discipline us and bring us back on the path of righteousness, and sometimes it is to strengthen our faith and make us more like Christ. Sometimes we have to go through hardships to get to a blessing.

In a similar vein, tough times enable us to prove ourselves to God and help in building our relationship with Him. It might seem hard, but remember God is on our side as He encouragingly asked us through His word, “If God be for us who can be against us? Thus, it is against the foregoing scriptural backdrop that one can in this context faithfully declare that “If God is for us, fuel subsidy hardship cannot be against us”, which is invariably the headline of this piece.

In fact, regardless of the reasons anyone is passing through adversity caused by the removal of fuel subsidy, it pragmatic to urge them to be strong and patient because the Lord will sure help look down from his divine height with his help.

In fact, everyone whose life is negatively been impacted on should endeavor to be thinking about Jesus, who suffered severe hardship. God will hold such a person up with His mighty hand. God is doing something in such a person’s life. Suffering because of the removal of fuel subsidy is not meaningless. He has not forsaken us. Instead of doubting, let’s start praying. Let’s ask God for strength, encouragement, comfort, and help. At this juncture, permit this writer to say that wrestling with the Lord day in and day out would be beneficial, particularly when we at the same time show bravery, and remain steadfast. Given the foregoing, it is expedient to urge everyone that is passing through the hardship been exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidy, and in the same vein encourage them not to relent in relying on God; no matter the situation. At this juncture, permit this writer to reiteratively say, “If God is for us, fuel subsidy hardship cannot be against us.