One thing I have observed over the years is the ease with which people with limited knowledge and understanding of Scientific and technical concepts often attribute unfamiliar or unnatural phenomena to witchcraft.

Perhaps I’m wrong and deluded in my dismissal of their beliefs and related explanations and arguments, or that I lack a “deeper” understanding of life’s other dimensions. All I know, I do not believe witchcraft exists especially in the manner and form others explain it to be. I refer specifically to occult practices of casting spells remotely, such as “sending” lightning or other curses remotely to condemn another person. The kind of “witchcraft” I believe exists is one about poisoning using indigenous nervous system attacking poisonous herbs. But even with such poisoning, it cannot be done remotely but through a victim’s physical contact with a poisoned object.

I do, however believe there are “spiritual” powers of good and evil, able to work through and in people. With such beliefs, I risk being accused of having the same mumbo-jumbo beliefs I’m decrying on witchcraft. Be that as it may, it is the risk I am prepared to take.

My belief is simply this: there comes a time when successful job creation and/ or employment can only be effected at the behest of some divine power. In such cases, no matter what anyone does, if that divine power does not approve such efforts, nothing positive will come to pass. All other efforts attempting to counter deity’s power will amount to nothing. This article, however, is not about giving a sermon on faith or conversion of people and discouraging others from exerting more and smarter efforts to improve their lives. By Nimroth Gwetsa, 31 July 2018.

Yes, socioeconomic and political situation from domestic and global considerations, including levels and types of education the general populace have and improving one’s competitiveness to increase demand count a great deal on whether or not a country prospers and solves high-levels of unemployment. I regard these as the obvious imperatives. But even with these imperatives in place, my theory still stands, that there comes a time when nothing anyone does beyond imperatives can resolve unemployment unless by some divine intervention or grace.

Unless I’m given a perfectly rational explanation for unemployment in such circumstances, I’ll be guilty of attributing to deity, phenomenon I may be lacking deeper understanding on just as I’m accusing believers in the occult. Even if I have wrong beliefs, we cannot dismiss the existence and role of some deity in life. Anyone believing in good and bad luck believes, inadvertently or thoughtfully, in some deity. In fact, even if one does not believe in the existence of any deity but attributes all occurrences to randomness, even then, randomness is the “deity” deserving of our acknowledgement. For out of that randomness, order and structure emerged. How then could we dismiss the powerful nature of that “randomness” surpassing human capacity? Either way, we believe in the existence of some deity. It’s the nature and form of the deity our differences lie.

For now, let us confine the discussion on my beliefs on the role of “deity” in overcoming difficulties in job creation and unemployment levels.

By raising the discussion to the level of deity, I am not discouraging people from trying any other efforts in combatting their challenges. I am merely putting across another perspective, which when correctly discerned, could lead the unemployed or those struggling to create jobs to try different approaches they may not have considered before. All these, are aimed at being made part of the overall strategy and arsenal of one’s efforts in fighting against impoverishment and helplessness.

Theory is that, whether by deity we refer to randomness or orderly powerful existent power, it starts with that deity exercising its will to either enable or disable opportunities. Whatever the decision that deity has made, there is nothing anyone can do to oppose its “sovereign” will.

All other efforts will amount to naught and will produce nothing other than pain, depression, frustration and possibly more suffering. See Figure 1 below for reference.

Figure 1 – Natural world occurrences and intersection with the spiritual realm

Grace is what everyone alive depends on to succeed in any aspect of one’s life despite one’s efforts. Grace, as paraphrased from Dictionary.com and various Biblical writings, is defined as a favour or goodwill, given freely without merit (unmerited). By this definition, grace cannot be earned. Grace is given despite one’s performance or lack thereof. It’s like saying someone has earned good luck. Such is an absurdity. Otherwise, it shouldn’t be called good luck, but a reward. One earns a reward, but is freely given a favour or good luck.

Now, we are all freely (graciously) given many differing good things (gifts). Some is the “luck” of the genes, health, strength, desirable looks, position or location, relationships, understanding and discernment, and faith. Others are given money and general success at almost everything they touch or do. Examples of unmerited favour given to people and requirements to attain higher level success are shown in “1. Grace Zone for the Living” as illustrated in Figure 1.

Even with grace, there is no one “having it all”. Even the “Son of Man” had limitations, and how can anyone expect to be exempted?

Because of different gracious gifts we have been given, all other ills such as jealousy, envy and plotting, among others, arise.

Once graciously given, no one can take it away, unless through negligence, apathy or persistent unbelief. And all these, would still be subject to permission from the deity. In all other areas of life where we are not graciously given, we may need to “earn” it to attain it. In other words, this would be an area deity has “decreed” that human effort, ingenuity, differentiation and self-made attractiveness among others, are necessary for one to “earn” the success sought. Examples of human effort zone successes and requirements to attain next level of success are shown in “2. Human Effort Lifestyle Zone” as illustrated in Figure 1.

Thus, it is important we recognise and acknowledge our gifts and identify our areas of need. I call it a “need”, and not a “want”, for a need is important and crucial for one’s survival, whereas a want is optional and for convenience.

We should note there is almost an interrelated approach to imperatives we should observe or have in place to ensure we are compliant with to enable us overcome difficulties in attaining needs deity has decreed should fall under human effort. Without addressing those “imperatives”, which are minimum entry requirements to next level success, we will fail. Even if we succeed without addressing all imperatives, that success will not be sustainable, but may bring misery and sorrow into our lives and possibly next generation’s.

I will not repeat those imperatives for moving from the Grace Life Zone to next level success, save to say they are the common ones many economists, professors and politicians talk about. These include: having the right education, maintaining good neighbourliness and relations, conduct, focus, differentiation, value proposition, fitness, resolve, thinking, and attitude among others.

Once Human Effort Lifestyle Zone gateway requirements have been addressed and still feeling unfulfilled or having inadequate opportunities to attain envisioned success, chances are, you have now entered the higher life challenge and higher reward zone, referred to in Figure 1 as “3. Divine Led Life Zone”. In this zone, one’s persistence and faith could be the only gateway to attainment of ultimate unprecedented success, and where failure to persist could also mean failure or degenerate into a valley of despair, where depression or death may occur.

When facing temptation to enter the value of despair, we are told, from other ancient writings recognising “different” deity, that we need to resist the urge to do evil and in so doing, temptation will flee (from) us. Now, temptation differs from a test.

Temptation lures one to (commit) evil or something deplorable and paints giving in to it as acceptable by suggesting immediate benefit and gain to self, while hiding bad consequences. It also gives the impression of one being shielded from or having little chances of getting caught.

A test, on the one hand, confirms one’s strength of a good attribute, the exercise of which could result in someone else benefitting.

A test thus measures one’s selflessness or generosity, whereas temptation is an inducement to do wrong.

Now, we are told, when in the valley of despair and confronted with an inducement to do wrong (temptation), such as the urge to commit a crime or take our lives, we need to resist it so this powerful force can flee us. Though we are told no challenge or problem is greater than our ability to overcome it, we cannot always opt to confront temptation. It’s ill-advised to confront temptation head-on.

The best is to fight the urge by forcefully turning away or removing oneself from the position, location or situation presenting one with the temptation. Resistance means making no time to playing macho, for doing so means dabbling in temptation. Almost every soul known to man and reported to have defied the advice to resist but confronted temptation, has failed and regretted it miserably. Flee and save yourself!

Fleeing involves forcefully removing oneself from temptation and finding something else to replace the urge to give in. The replacement could be reverting to one’s trusted relations for fellowship, sharing or interacting with others – preferably empathetic ones, or changing scenery and doing something else. We are told cravings and other deep desires point to lack of something important in one’s life. It’s best one discovers one’s lack and resolving it or finding its substitute to fill in the void. Fleeing cannot happen where there is still a void, or isolation from external sources of capacity.

A test is different. One can confront it because it does not lure one into doing evil, but encourages one to do good for others. It’s one’s thoughts dissuading one from doing good, painting a bleak future or increased losses as the outcome of one’s generosity. Such tests, can be confronted head on by forcing self to give what one treasures for someone’s benefit.

Giving up is a form of a failed test. Having gone that far resisting different temptations and passing many other tests, it would be tragic to stumble at the last hurdle by giving up. Though giving up (thus failing a test) is not as tragic as giving in (to temptation), one may still succeed, but such success may not be as great as it would have been had one persisted and remained resolute in marching forward when at the valley of despair.

The greater news is that, if in the In the Human Effort Zone and having overcome the edge to give up on fulfilling the requirements for the Divine Led Life gateway, one will graciously be rewarded beyond one’s imagination and efforts, had one remained content only with Human Effort Zone Lifestyle activities and experiences.

Sometimes to enter through the Divine Led Life Zone gateway means being emptied of all past “baggage” and dregs. Without emptying, it would be like pouring fresh drink in a used cup. Sometimes, to enjoy a fresh cup of drink without worries, the cup has to be emptied first, then “cleaned and dried” before a new drink is poured for one’s enjoyment. We conduct our lives like that and should thus expect “unseen” spiritual aspects of our lives to also interact with our natural lives similarly.

The emptying, cleansing and drying may take the form of incurring losses of things one treasures or values, be it one’s image, possessions, resources, abilities, relations or whatever it may entail according to the will of the deity. But the life one will live once one has been delivered will surpass the life one would have ever thought of had one not embarked on the new course.

Thus, we should not rush to scoff at our woeful situations but revert to basics to ensure our obligations for attainment of next level lifestyle are fulfilled.

At the right time, I believe, even the seemingly “hardened-heart” deity will relent and change one’s situation for the better, delivering one from failure to unprecedented success.

Having succeeded, remember to enjoy sustainable returns and pass your next big test by sharing fruits of your success with others to help them overcome their struggles.

Go on to succeed and prosper.