The first time I saw my Wife, I was like… “wow, such beauty! I must find a way to talk to this lady!”. Meanwhile, my wife was such a ‘mind your business’ type of person. She just faced her business of Church service and studies very squarely. I sought several opportunities to speak with her, but because I only saw her in her line of duty as an usher, it was nearly impossible to even make any form of eye contact with her.

Then one day, the door of opportunity opened up (someone say ‘door’! 😄) and we spoke… What an absolute joy it was! But that’s not where I’m headed. After connecting with her as a friend, I soon realised she was just about to get into a relationship at that point: her first. Of course, it was the last thing in the world that I wanted to hear, because I liked her and wanted to get to know her, and you know… see where it leads from there.

But here she was, about to say yes to another guy, and she was honest with it and mentioned it to me. My heart was scratched (e never reach to break 😄… we had just met) but I told myself, I have to walk away from her: Respect her, respect myself, and respect the God of covenants and commitments! So I gradually withdrew myself from the gnawing desire to hear from her regularly. Few months later, without my active pursuit or engineering, it became apparent that another ‘door of opportunity’ had opened up (someone say ‘another door’! 😉. She was barely 3 months into the relationship when the Lord asked her to break up. However, she didn’t come running to me with ‘guess what?… we broke up’… she knew it would have been a red flag for me, moreover, she had too much self-respect to do that as well. So she just maintained her singlehood with joy and contentment. Several months later, on a very casual note, I got to know she was no longer in a relationship, and I was like ‘Waymaker, miracle worker, promise keeper 😄🎵’. That was when we began to build a much stronger friendship, and a year later, I asked her out. Today, she’s my beloved Wife!! 😉

So I went this route to expose to you, a powerful spiritual principle: you must learn to walk away from what you’re walking towards. Yes, I know it sounds illogical, but there is power in what you just read. And it’s often the last junction before a massive turnaround in one’s life.

What was the one thing Joseph wanted the most? If he ever had a prayer point, what would it have been? To be a free man, and then to be a successful man in order to prove all his brothers wrong… right? Now here was Joseph, on the most important occasion of his life; in front of arguably the most powerful man on earth — Pharaoh, interpreting some insightful data (dream) and presenting an economic recovery plan for Egypt. Yet, he was willing to allow Pharaoh the freedom of choosing anyone he thought could do the job. Joseph was right in front of the answer to his ‘potentially’ greatest prayer point, yet he remained unflustered by the occasion and never showed desperation. Desperation reduces a man’s honour! Another ‘LinkedIn’ conditioned person would have mentioned ‘I’ like a hundred times in two minutes whilst ‘demonstrating capacity and competence to mastermind the recovery plan in record time’ 😏 I’m sure you know the lingua.

[33] Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. — Genesis 41:33 KJV

But not Joseph! That which he so desperately desired came right in front of him, and he handled it like a boss who wasn’t out of his depth. He made it look like he consulted for several other global powers (a prisoner oo) and he put some respect and value on his name! Maybe your desperation is costing you that which you so desire… your desperation may have become louder than your value. Yes, I know you want it so badly, but you must also possess the self restraint even when you’re right in front of it. This is where discretion comes in, there are moments you move quickly to take advantage of opportunities, there are other moments you need to learn to walk away… those same opportunities will ask for you and come right back.

[1] When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, Consider diligently what is before thee: [2] And put a knife to thy throat, If thou be a man given to appetite. — Proverbs 23:1–2 KJV

What does a man given to appetite really want? He wants food. What does a ruler have in abundance? A ruler has food… go check out King Solomon in 1 Kings 4:22–23. Now, combine a ruler who has so much food to spare with a man with great appetite? Perfect match, yeah? But No! It’s a setup! The ruler is observing your ‘wobialism’ (you won’t find that in any dictionary 😄), if you show classlessness around abundance, you have shown him a red flag. The Bible says, Put a knife to your throat. It doesn’t mean kill yourself, it means have some self-restraint, especially in front of that which you desperately desire the most.

No wonder Daniel refused the King’s meat, little wonder he would ultimately become the longest-serving cabinet member, serving across multiple regimes. Interestingly, he ultimately spent the longest time at the King’s table, eating those very meals his colleagues couldn’t restrain themselves from eating at first sight. You must always be richer in your heart than you are, in your hands. If the wealth around you overwhelms you and is more than the glorious riches in your heart, you won’t be able to help yourself, you will show desperation when and where it is least required. Esau showed desperation for food at the worst possible time in his life. He couldn’t practise self-restraint for the one hour required to roast his game. He ultimately left his birthright on the table and ran off with a red meal!

You can’t lord over what already lords over you! If money lords over you, you can no longer lord over it! If food lords over you, you may never have it in abundance! What you will lord over, you have to be able to say NO to!

Mordecai could have gone to curry the favour of the king, he definitely could use the pay raise. But instead, he showed us that allowing God serve your breakthrough is ALWAYS the best strategy, especially in the presence of your enemies. Don’t hustle for glory or recognition, just let God ‘cook’. Your heart must be full of the knowledge of the glory of God, so that you won’t go about chasing vanities and filling your heart with them. Politicians today arrive in offices and immediately begin to siphone resources meant for a whole Nation, why? Because there is emptiness in their soul! They can’t help but demonstrate ‘wobialism’ around resources. Only those who aren’t desperate for resources can manage them. This is what Pharaoh understood. If Joseph had demonstrated any form of desperation, it would have been a red flag to Pharaoh, and he would have put Joseph back in ‘his place’ by reminding him of his prison number.

Joseph taught us that by walking away, you actually command your desire to walk towards you.

I pray for you today — that the Grace to develop self-restraint and self-control at the most crucial moments in your destiny, will be given to you in Jesus Name.

Kings are observing you, don’t fall their hand!

Have a productive week.

God bless your heart.

Dami Oguntunde

Push Buttons is a weekly devotional of The Powerpoint Tribe.