Life is full of moments that make you question everything you have ever believed. It is almost as if you need a little time out, just a few minutes to ask the world for a map - maybe not for directions - but just to know where you will end up. The future can be a scary thing, especially when you do not know where you are going.
We have all experienced hard times in our lives but we somehow continue to move forward - pausing to feel the pain - but not long enough to get stuck. There is a lot to be said about the human mind and heart. We experience pain and we feel despair, but we know it's not permanent. The heart is fragile, but people are resilient.
Where does this resilience come from? I think it comes from hope; a form of optimism that can change everything. When we experience despair we believe it can break us; that the world has the power to destroy us. Yet it remains true that during the most difficult times we discover our own courage and strength; we find out how strong we really are.
When we feel broken, how do we find hope? How do we believe in our own strength, remember our value, and appreciate our courage?
Family is a huge strength for me; those people who love me no matter what are the greatest assets I have in life. I am blessed with two siblings who are my best friends. There is something remarkable about love and friendship among siblings. I would not trade that for anything. They remind me that while I'm not perfect, I have value.
Friends also give me strength. Never underestimate the importance of those you share your time with or those who choose to share their time with you. Whether you have one good friend or ten... it is the people who can be silent with you in a moment of darkness that mean the most; those important times when presence means more than words. It is not about who is there when you say that you need help, instead it is more about who reaches out just in case you do. It is the people who give without expecting anything in return that are valuable.
Faith is also something I find comfort in during good and bad times. Throughout my life I have found that things tend to work out for the best. What's that saying... when a door closes, don't knock because whatever is behind it was not part of the plan? God's plan has not led me astray. Through the ups and downs, He is there. He only asks that I trust Him, and so I do. I find courage through that trust.
Friends also give me strength. Never underestimate the importance of those you share your time with or those who choose to share their time with you. Whether you have one good friend or ten... it is the people who can be silent with you in a moment of darkness that mean the most; those important times when presence means more than words. It is not about who is there when you say that you need help, instead it is more about who reaches out just in case you do. It is the people who give without expecting anything in return that are valuable.
Faith is also something I find comfort in during good and bad times. Throughout my life I have found that things tend to work out for the best. What's that saying... when a door closes, don't knock because whatever is behind it was not part of the plan? God's plan has not led me astray. Through the ups and downs, He is there. He only asks that I trust Him, and so I do. I find courage through that trust.
Unfortunately, nothing can really prepare us for or protect us from our realities. There are times when we will inevitably experience suffering, but the knowledge that there is still good despite the bad is powerful. Those are the things we have to hold onto in life; those are the moments that keep us going. That's how we find hope, and that's how we find the strength to be courageous in the midst of challenge.
It is true what they say - just when we think things cannot get any worse, they do. But if that is so, then it must also be true that when we think things cannot get any better, they do. Perhaps it is more about what we choose to believe - maybe what we hope for becomes our reality.
