While walking along the busy Sir Apollo Kagwa road one evening, I happened to come across a lady seated by the roadside. She looked hopeless and was weeping bitterly but as I approached her, she hastily tried to wipe away her tears so that I couldn't notice what was happening. However, I had already realized from a distance that she was crying and even her teary eyes could surely give her away. When I reached the spot where she was seated, I humbly asked her why she was crying, something she quickly denied yet when I later insisted, she opened up and amidst sobs, narrated to me the excruciating ordeal of how two armed men had attacked her and made off with her smart phone which according to her expression, she greatly revered.

"Sorry for all that happened." I said sympathetically. "but you have to give thanks to God…", I continued but before I could even complete my statement, she vehemently interrupted saying,

"Give thanks! Do you know what my phone meant to me..?"

"How much was the phone?" I inquired.

"1.2 millions", she replied.

"I feel your pain but your life was spared and for that, you should give thanks to God. I guess you have heard of people being similarly attacked but killed and their belongings taken. Yet for your case, they only took your phone and didn't kill you. As long as we live, we can possibly get whatever we want; the dead never enjoy this privilege. Brenda you must realize that your life is worth much more than the phone", I replied

"But Lazarus, I bought my phone expensively" she insisted.

"Yes! It's expensive but your life is incomparable with it. You can't value your life at the price of anything in this world. Accept the situation as it is, worrying won't change anything about it but will only take away your peace. Because you are alive, you can still get even better phones than the lost one. Otherwise, had the attackers killed you, you wouldn't even have been able to complain about anything; it would have totally been a different story. You have to realize that there's a purpose for which everything happens in life; this is a fact, very hard to embrace especially in situations that seem negative to us." I added.

"Oh really! I get your point Lazarus. You have opened my eyes to see that my life is more precious than everything in this world. I am now greatly relieved of the worries and vexation that had engulfed me having realized that even though I lost my phone, I actually have countless reasons to thank God for. Thanks a lot Lazarus." She remarked with a sigh of relief.

After praying with her, we then parted ways. She euphorically walked home while I mirthfully made way back to campus.

While seated on my bed in my room that evening, I reflected on the events that transpired and the thought of penning them down was irresistible; for it could surely inspire and motivate someone.

Moral of the story.

We will always have reasons to thank God for; even though sometimes they might be unknown to us.

In the story above, Brenda focused solely on the phone, forgetting the fact that her life was spared and that because she was alive, she bought the phone that got lost and could still get even better phones than that.

No matter what we go through, always remember to thank God; He's forever faithful and does nothing wrong and the only perfect plans for us are His plans.

God bless you mightily.

Job Lazarus Okello.
Makerere University.
Twitter: @lazjob