Work with those who are for you not those who are not for you.

I used to be a “take life as it comes” person, letting things unfold however they would. It sounds nice, right? Just wing it, be free, live by the seat of your pants. But let me tell you, that approach only works if you’re relying on your own strength. And that’s exhausting. Trust me, I’ve tried it. What I got in return was a hardened heart. Compassion? Slowly slipping away. Empathy? Packing its bags and moving out. I became more like a grumpy cat—unapproachable and kind of mean—but without the cute whiskers to make up for it.

Then, one day, I thought, “Let me try this Bible reading thing.” Every morning, consistently. But first, I hit a roadblock: Do I read the Word or exercise first? I struggled. Maybe you have too. In my mind, I could see the benefits of both—run for physical strength or read for spiritual strength. After much back and forth (and maybe a few skipped workouts), I realized, even running needs God. Ever tried to jog while meditating on the Word? It’s a whole new level of workout. Turns out, the Bible doesn’t just strengthen your spirit; it gives you the motivation to run without fainting (Isaiah 40:31).

So, there I was, reading the Word every morning, consistently. And wouldn’t you know, things started happening. I followed up on a long-delayed administration letter after my husband’s passing. When I met a gentleman in the office, he just so happened to be from my husband’s Taita tribe. Coincidence? I think not. As if that wasn’t enough, another guy from the Kisii tribe—sitting right in the same office—also helped me out. You can bet I bought them lunch. I mean, this was divine favor on a silver platter, Psalm 5:12 style: “Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.”

Now, fast forward to when I slacked on my Bible reading. Guess what happened when I followed up on that same letter again? This time, I met a man who was demanding a bribe. A bribe? For information? Seriously? I was baffled. But before my frustrations could bubble over, the Holy Spirit gave me a nudge and said, “Nope, this isn’t how I work.” (John 14:26, anyone?) So, I walked out of that office and called the Taita gentleman who had helped me earlier. I didn’t even mention the shady bribe guy. I just asked if my friend would be in the office soon.

Here’s where it gets interesting. When I picked up my Bible reading again, out of nowhere, I get a call from the Taita man saying my letter was ready! God’s timing is better than Amazon Prime—always arrives right when you need it. I went back to the office, didn’t even see the Taita guy this time, but his assistant treated me like royalty. Honour and respect all around. And to top it off, the Kisii man greeted me with the biggest smile. Proverbs 16:7 is no joke: “When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way, He causes their enemies to make peace with them.” Even your frenemies in government offices.

The moral of the story? Initially, I believed God was some conditional taskmaster: You do this, He does that. But no, He’s a covenant-keeping God. Psalm 1 nails it: Stay rooted in Him, and He’ll make your ways prosperous. Not because you bribed your way through life, but because He’s already paved the path for you. So, whether you’re running, reading, or just trying to navigate the bureaucracy of life, remember: God’s got it covered. All you have to do is stay consistent—He’ll handle the rest.