ARE YOU AWARE OR INFORMED?

Just a few days back, I remember having a life changing moment with a brother of mine, which sparked and ignited something in me. It was a long conversation that wasn’t planned for — as both us had other plans for the day, but God had His as well.

When the conversation started, I immediately knew God wanted to reveal some things to me like He said in Jer 33: 3.

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not — Jeremiah 33:3(KJV)

Few minutes later, — while discussing about school exams and what the expectations of professors’ are — he said something repeatedly and immediately my subconscious mind stored it. He said to me, “Festus, what a lot of people don’t understand is that there’s a difference between being aware and being informed about something”.

But do you agree with me that a lot of people are aware, while only few are informed?

Awareness is at the tip of it, while being informed deals with the main concept and idea of a situation or event. In this present age, we always love to know and not to understand what the concept of or an event is all about.

Let’s examine how being informed helps across different areas of our lives.

In the spiritual realm, the best way to navigate through the issues of life is to be informed about the basics. And this begins with who you are — your identity! Your identity in Christ. I’m aware of the fact that I’m a child of God, but what’s my identity? Your identity is far more than and beyond knowing you’re a child of God. Because undoubtedly, everyone who gives their life to Christ becomes a child of God. Your identity stems from being informed about your redemptive rights. Don’t just know you are His child; understand your rights and inheritance in Christ. Many of us are aware that God created the Man and the Woman — Adam and Eve. However, only few understand what was Adam’s role in the Garden of Eden and why God had to give him a companion: the reason is beyond procreation or reproduction. Why did God not create the both of them at the same time? God needed Adam to establish a relationship with Him first. What kind of a relationship is it? Why is it necessary?

All these stems from being informed. Are you well informed to understand that God did not just rest on the seventh day because he was tired? Are you well informed to know that God did not just bring you out of your country to where you are right now just to study or work? It is far beyond that! Are you well informed enough to understand that David was found as the right person not just because he was a shepherd? He didn’t win the battle against Goliath only because he had killed a lion and a bear before. There’s more to it!

Being informed is not just knowing that Jesus was born in the manger in Bethlehem. It is understanding that Christ has been existing even before the existence of time(Gen 1:1–3). John 1:1–5 says,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2]The same was in the beginning with God. [3]All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. [4] In him was life; and the life was the light of men. [5] And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not — (KJV)

Jesus Christ was not just led into the wilderness so that he could pray and be tempted by the devil(Matthew 4:1). Be well informed to understand that there are mysteries behind every scripture of the Word of God.

Nevertheless, being informed is not also enough — the performance of it, is what depicts your understanding… Your faith coupled with your understanding of the mysteries of God’s Word is what triggers the manifestation of His prophecies in your life. And mind you, faith requires performance for it to deliver or to be manifested.

Faith is an action word; it is a doing word. Show me your faith and I will show you my works! (James 1:18 — paraphrased). The performance of it is what brings it into manifestation. For instance, now I understand that putting God first is beyond seeking first His Kingdom, but His righteousness as well. And above that, it takes wisdom to implement it in my life. But the question now is… Am I ready to forgo my desires to seek His? Yes, he died for my sin! But am I walking in that reality? Knowing fully well that my sins has not only been forgiven, BUT I have also been transformed into His image and likeness. Which means wherever I stand, I represent Him. I can’t enter into a room full of darkness and it doesn’t light up the moment it perceives my presence. John 1:5 says, “ And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not”. And remember — according to Proverbs 4:7 — the Bible says, “get wisdom and with all the getting, get understanding”(paraphrased).



Another question?..

Are you well informed to know that you did not just wake up today or clock another age because it’s normal or as a result of time progression and growth? It is beyond that! It is understanding that you woke up this morning for a purpose and walking towards it — in line with God’s agenda for the day and for your life. You did not just clock 16years because it’s normal. There’s what we call seasons(Ecclesiastes 3:1). Every period of your life has it assignment. You’ve noticed that you have been waking up around 3am at night for some days now. Don’t just sit there and say to someone, “I have started waking up early now, at least it gives me enough time to prepare for school”. That would be ignorance! It is not just waking up early; it is a call for ultimate attention and spiritual awakening.

Academically, are you just reading or studying? Which of it are you doing? Are you reading to be aware of the topic and for quick memorization that fades away the moment you take a step out of the exam hall OR you’re studying to understand the concepts: the what, how, why, the what if, what if not, — the WOW behind it. It takes understanding the WOW behind a topic to fully grasp the concept.

A Professor once told me after I wrote the examination for his course, “A lot of students just read to pass exams, only few study, write the exam and also practicalize it”. He also said something unique: we are studying about peace, but how many of us are practicing it and ensuring peace? And the truth is… Not everyone.

It’s high time we ask ourselves, “have I come here to learn and earn a degree or to just earn a degree? If your motive is to earn a degree, then your intellect is within the walls of the classroom. But if your motive is to increase in knowledge and to earn a degree, then it demands that you apply whatever you’ve learnt to the real world — to real life situations.

When your motive is to be well informed, you won’t just watch movies because it is fun. And yes, it is fun, but understand the WOW behind the movie and how it can impact your life. As an aspiring Neuropsychologist, I watch movies not only for fun, but to understand how the human mind really works — beyond what the classroom has taught me. The same brother told me, “ I ask myself, “why did this scene come before the other? It could have also been played after… How’s the writer thinking? What made him have this view or perspective of situations or life. What motivated him to put this out? How do these actors think?” (even though they are acting according to script, there’s still a possibility of understanding how they think by examining their previous movies as well).

All these are what prepares you to become not just that Straight A student you have pictured in your mind, but a purposeful one who sees beyond the A’s.

It takes understanding the You, What, Why, How, When, and the WOW behind your existence in life to become a accomplished individual.