Have you lost hope? Of all spiritual states of mind, hope is that quick silver quality that steadies us through the various circumstances of our lives with no discernable guarantee of the outcome we desire. So, what is hope?
We all say things like "I hope my headache goes away, I hope my daughter passes the finals, I hope I get a raise" so "hope" must be important to us all but, how does it operate in our lives?
People pray when they are hoping for something whether minor or important. Sometimes people pray over and over again for a particular thing like a child clutching at its mother's skirt. This is not hope. This is desperation for the energies spent pleading with the universe could be better spent being proactive for what you are hoping for. Hope is developed as a result of seeing positive outcomes. Over time, it fills the void of insecurity that would torment us with doubt, fear and despair. Hope is holding within the soul the belief in possibilities and potential and that anything can be done. Without hope, we might choose not to do anything positive to create change. It would all seem fruitless. I have been where the fear of failure or lack of hope immobilized me. I did not trust in the Divine Plan and much less myself yet, I desperately wanted to hope, to believe that positivity could enter my life. I began each day with a prayer for hope which had become so alien to me. We need hope to have goals but goals do not invent themselves. People invent goals. It is a horrible thing to live in fear and this is the nightmarish outcome of the absence of hope.
Hope is not holding the Divine or yourself to a time frame. It would be great if outcomes were immediate. Instead it is a state of being that is patient and, while we are productive, it also enables us to enjoy the little things that bless our average day. Although I used to be a "Good God, Morning! Ugh!" person who, upon awakening, had to outline reasons for getting up, I am now a person who wants to get up and get the most out of my day. Who knows what blessing I might experience?
If nothing tragic has happened in my personal world since the day before, that is a major blessing. So automatically there is at least one with which to start my day. Remember the popular Rosemary Clooney song "Counting My Blessings" in which she sang of counting blessings when she went to sleep? I count my blessings when I wake up to keep hope going.
Even spiritual people reach crossroads. Whether it is disability, certain health conditions or personal loss spiritual people are not immune to the turmoil these circumstances create. Spiritual people also have personal lives that can become dysfunctional or worrisome. Sometimes our dysfunctional childhood experiences catch up with us leaving to wonder where we are on our path in life. It is at these times that we need hope.
It doesn't matter what we have faith in or believe in, or what name we call our god(s) or deities. Faith is a very important component to recovering from being "lost". Faith is not blind. If you are like me, you have seen miracles. You may have seen only everyday wonders but, these ARE miracles. Recall big and small miracles that have occurred to reaffirm your faith. Meditate, light a candle for you and only you. Listen to calming music and decide to have faith. You have a choice here. You can talk yourself into it or out of it. Having been in both places, I can personally vouch on the side of faith.
We have to work on hope for although it is there for us to hold within, the distractions of life can make it elusive. Hope occurs when we have achieved gratitude for that which we have received. With hope, we can not only see what we have received but we can be open to receiving more and more.
In Her Godmother Allie feels despair over the breakup of her parents. When a parent is an alcoholic a child experiences grief over the loss of normalcy in his or her life. To experience the loss of hope at such a young age is tragic but with help, Allie begins to heal and find hope.
Find out how...
Take a moment to watch the book trailer below which was produce by VALKYRIE PUBLISHING (theresachaze.com)
Available at fine bookstores, including Barnes and Noble, barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com and other online stores.
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