There are seasons when we feel like we're just sort of existing, making no progress at all in our lives. Oftentimes when this occurs, it becomes very evident that what we focus on, we will experience. If we focus on fear, fear is what we will have. If we focus on joy, joy is what we will experience. The mind plays a vital role in the effect faith has in our lives. What do I mean by this? I mean, simply, that the word of God is clear when it says, "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he...(Prov. 23:7)" Faith may be present, available, and effective, but if you are convinced that no matter how much faith you have you will never succeed, you will never see the success that faith can provide. I am finding in this season of my life that persuasion is incomprehensibly powerful in life. It's sort of like a person who gets on an airplane and no matter the safety precautions, they will not be at peace. Or like the super model who just can't believe that they are attractive no matter how many successful photo shoots they perform. What is one to do?
I'm reminded of a person that I had spoken with many, many years ago that lived a totally negative life. Everything in their life, no matter what, would end up in the negative. Everything they looked at would be viewed through the lens of negativity. I tried on numerous occasions to point out the upside of their life, but no matter how hard I tried, they just couldn't see it. The last time I had seen this individual, they had picked their forehead raw because they just hated the way they looked. All I could do was hold them while they cried.
Why do we do things like this to ourselves?
Listen, the value you put on yourself is far greater than the value others put on you. The belief that your existence on this planet serves a purpose is far more important than the opinions of others. If you have a purpose, you have a reason to live. No purpose means no true living. Having a purpose is the makes the difference between living and just existing. Negative focus is an incredibly powerful force that has destroyed the lives of millions of people throughout the worlds existence. Negativity can lead to depression, which leads to more negativity, which leads.... you get the picture. It becomes a vicious cycle that seems to have no end. But if you believe that there is NO WAY that the Lord of life would place you on this planet just to take up space, breathe this air, and not have a purpose in it, you can survive AND thrive. I mean, just look at the order in creation. Plants, trees, animals, everything exists with some kind of divine order. Notice how the waves of the sea most typically come only to a specific point and recess back upon itself, and there is not anyone or anything stopping it from going further, at least not that we can identify. However, God said for the go thus far and no further and that's exactly what happens every time. Notice that most typically, the moon doesn't rise at the same time as the sun, but rather, the sun comes up for a certain time and then moves out of the way for the moon to take over. Now, if God would take the time to make sure that the planet functions with some kind of order, why would He not be able to bring some order to our lives?
Listen. No matter how horrible, irritating, frustrating, or whatever other word you would like to use to describe your life right now, God has a plan that really DOES make sense. It doesn't look like it right now, BELIEVE ME, but you and I have seen too much to believe otherwise. I know this is true. God has been faithful in the past and there is absolutely no way He will start being unfaithful to you now. So by all means possible, take courage and be encouraged with that. It may look like only darkness right now, but rest assured that daylight WILL shine again.
Just don't give up now. You've come so far already. You're SO close to your breakthrough. Dig your heels in deeper and hold on even tighter. And when you look up, you'll actually find that it's not you holding on to Him, but HIM holding on to YOU.