It’s never going to change… I can’t do this… I’ve been down this road before, I know how it ends… It’s too hard to keep doing this…
These were a few of the repeating phrases from several of my friends this past week. A blanket statement of hopelessness when they feel they’re not strong enough to move another step. I not only understand this feeling, but I can identify with being in that place more than once.
It’s disheartening to think that we can go from being confident and believing in our future, to broken and feeling despair. What changes? What is it that moves in and feeds hopelessness to our spirit?
PERSPECTIVE…
Our perspective has the greatest influence over our thoughts. What we rehearse over and over in our hearts becomes what we believe, and ultimately changes our perspective, and how we respond to life. Our memories will influence our future. They will dictate how we respond to future decisions.
If we only rehearse in our mind the areas of our lives that we felt defeated then that is where we will remain. Even in our past failures and defeats, we can find a success. What we set our mind on will determine the emotion that drives us forward.
The philiospher Thoreau states:
“It is what a man thinks of himself that really determines his fate.”
If you are feeling defeated, take some time in prayer and ask the Lord:
What memories am I rehearsing?
What’s your perspective on that memory?
How can I use that memory as a catapolt and not an anchor?
If you only rehearse in your mind your distrust and defeat, then the enemy can keep you limited and ineffective in Christ. The stories of our past, regardless if we feel they were a success or failure, are what reveal the amazing grace of God to others. Our memories have the opportunity to spread hope to the hopeless – including ourselves!
A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. Luke 6:45
Now your turn: Have you taken a painful memory and allowed God to give you His perspectives on it? How did that change the way you viewed your life and your future? As always I value your comments so Let’s chat…