Walking swiftly across the rolling hills and verdant green on the campus of North Carolina Central University to get to my 8:00 a.m. class in the fall of 1972, I was frequently greeted by passersby with, “What’s happening?” I confess that initially, I had no idea how to respond. Was it a question? Was it a greeting? Fresh from the country, if it were a greeting, I was more accustomed to “Hello” or “How are you?” But those traditional greetings seemed misplaced on campus. 
 

So, I decided to try it out on the next person I passed. “What’s happening!” I called out. He responded, “You got it brother!” I didn’t know what I had, but at least I knew how to respond! When I replied, “You got it” to the next person who greeted me with, “What’s happening?” the guy replied, “Right on, blood!” At this point “What’s happening” became more of a question for me. I really was wondering, “What’s happening?” Though the popular greeting, “What’s happening?” eventually faded away along with bell-bottom pants, large afros, and the 1970s TV show which carried that name, it now appears that the question has become more relevant than ever.

In 2022 after being healed from spinal stenosis and a slipped disc in my back, I boldly proclaimed my healing and testified about it both in writing and before live audiences. But over the past couple of weeks severe back and side pains have rattled me at times and forced me to ask, “What’s happening now?” (No reference to the sequel that followed the tv show, “What’s Happening).

Aches and pains can cause us to question what God has done for us.  Bumps in the road in pursuit of the God-given vision or while carrying out the mission God has given us might cause us to question whether that good vision or that great mission was really given to us by God. Forceful opposition from Satan is designed to cause us to waver in our hope and faith in God and stagger like a deer in the headlights asking, “What’s happening?”

But take heart! Hold tightly without wavering to the hope in the God who can be trusted to keep his promise! Aches and pains will not cause me to doubt my healing! Bumps in the road will not rob me of my God-given vision nor deter me from my mission! I am not deceived by Satan’s tactics because I know very well what’s happening! What about you? Hello! How are you?

Focus Quote: (And how do we hold tight to hope without wavering?) “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (Heb. 12:2a).