By Olivia Obijiaku
A deacon of the Catholic Diocese of Zaria, Rev. Isaac Illah has asserted that God is willing to give more to those who renew and expand their capacities. Leaning on the Gospel text on the new wine and the old wineskin, he reflected on ‘Can You Handle What You Are Asking For?, in intimating that some people do not receive the desired response from God, because they are not yet ready to receive and accommodate what they are asking for.
The homilist explained that God does not grant some peoples’ petition because He knows that such persons would use such blessings for wrong purposes, like those who use the gifts He has given them for selfish reasons, rather than to glorify God and expand His Kingdom with such gifts. He taught that one’s character can make them lose their blessings, just as it can make God decide not to give them certain gifts, because He knows that they are not ready for such endowments.
“God is ready to pour new wines in your lives” He told them. “But are you making space for Him in your life? Are you a new wine skin? Are you ready to change? Many of us are praying for something new, success, blessing, and change of condition. But can you handle it if Jesus should provide? New wine as we all know is so powerful. It expands. It stretches and it demands a lot of space. And if the wine skin is not ready, it breaks.”
“This means that sometimes, the reasons things are not changing is not because God is not willing to provide. It is because we are not ready yet to receive. In the first reading, God promises, ‘I will rebuild. I will restore and I will bless.’ So, the problem is not God’s unwillingness to act. If God gives you something that your character cannot sustain, you will lose it. He may not give you some blessings because He knows that as soon as He grants them to you, you will lose everything.”
Rev Illah implored them to discipline themselves; make room for constructive criticism; let go of habits that can destroy their blessings and be ready to make amends where and when necessary, so that “When you pray, God will provide.” He also cautioned against pride, nudging them to embrace the virtue of humility, since “Success without discipline is a problem.”
