Just when life presents you with enough messes to leave you in a heap on the floor…
Just when you open your eyes to one more set back that you simply cannot tolerate…
Just when all the pieces of the life you’ve fiercely created crash to the ground…
…hope reveals itself, if you let it.
How often do we experience this? How frequently do we find ourselves under a pile of bad days, negative moments, difficult circumstances, ugliness, anxiety, negativity. We cry, we worry, we complain, we lose sleep. We worry that things will never get better, and that everyone else’s life is far better than our own.
What if I told you that I have fallen into these thoughts so often lately, that I almost started to believe them? I try so very hard to be a positive person, to bring light to the lives around me. I try to live life as an outward expression of my inner belief in “people”. We exist to build wonderful, expressive, comforting, invested, forgiving, uplifting relationships with other people. What’s the purpose in life if we don’t do this – at least a little? I realized that when I started to believe these debilitating thoughts, I was limiting the power I had to serve the wonderful souls all around me. I was valuing the nature of my circumstances more than the lessons they embodied. They say a calm sea does not make a skilled sailer; true, yes?
While we may endure days that push us to the limit, making us mentally and physically immobile…
While we will have moments that wreck us, that make every positive thought painfully out of reach…
While we are bound to experience any number of the vast difficulties in this life…
…there is always hope.
“…we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint…” Romans 5:3-5
Please believe me, I realize that at times these thoughts of positivity can feel trite and intangible. But a remarkable lesson I’ve also learned is that my circumstances will yield 1 of 2 results. I can give in, or I can push back. I can be broken, or I can be empowered. I’ve also learned that faith and empowerment is a constant pursuit. There will never be a time when strength is my sole reaction. I’ve been seeing a counselor for a few months to help me deal with some anxiety; the struggle of the ups and downs and uncertainties that my life has brought lately. And she has taught me how important this pursuit is. That there is never a time we reach consistent strength and empowerment. This is attained as we weave in and out of our circumstances, as we veer off track and choose to get back on track once again. Hope isn’t achieved at the end of struggle, only after it’s passed and we’ve dealt with it. Instead, hope can be yielded as a happy side effect of struggle. When we choose to stay positive, uplifted, and empowered despite our circumstances.
My counselor also speaks a lot to meditation and prayer, both of which have shown me the truth behind this thought. These are the ways through which I’ve achieved a greater sense of peace in anxious times. While I’ll never be able to control the difficulty and the negative things that happen in life, I can definitely choose to react in a way that keeps hope alive. It’s not easy, but the power is in the practice, and my reward for it has been absolutely beautiful.
Long story short, this life can be beautiful if you believe in it. It can overflow with hope and strength. It can provide circumstances that will grow you more than you could imagine. It will challenge you to change, to evolve, to evaluate, to reflect, to forgive, and to rely on yourself. Life will provide you with opportunities to be a better version of yourself, and opportunities to find and cling to the grace that will carry you through.
“If you are facing a new challenge or being asked to do something that you have never done before, don’t be afraid to step out. You have more capability than you think you do but you will never see it unless you place a demand on yourself for more.” Joyce Meyer
Demand this kind of hope for yourself; seek the love that you deserve. My mom always tells me that “life is messy,” and I liken this thought to my apartment. Is it ever clean – for good? No. It’s clean, just to get messy again. Such is life! Despite the mess, despite the circumstances, never doubt your ability to practice the pursuit for hope, faith, growth, and beautiful change.
what have we to lose? 