In a nutshell what I am saying is to persevere; keep hope alive. If you have been alive for more than twenty-five years, surely you have heard of Reverend Jesse Jackson, civil rights activist, politician, ordained Baptist minister; a young protege of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement. Well, you had to have heard his infamous quote: "Keep hope alive!" This sentiment or for many this directive enboldened, empowered and encouraged many to keep up the fight against injustice. Embedded in this mantra was the possibility of victory if we could just stay focused. This was most appropriate given the times that we were living in. The times (50's and 60's) were troubled; racial discrimination, police brutality, housing and job discrimination, etc. Through all of this Rev. Jackson reminded us that the one thing we could not afford to lose was hope. "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13.
"You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world's problems at once but don't ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own." Michelle Obama. Gowing up, my father filled my head with hope and possibilities. The images that this created motivated me to reach beyond my grasp and to get an education. He planted the seed of hope in me, and I thank him because I have been able to actualize many of the goals that I have set for my life.
Hope has been defined as "a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen." I suppose this definition will serve our purposes today. Hope leads to action. Hope is a powerful tool to possess, and we should all acquire it, use it and never let it go. "To live without hope is to cease to live." Fyodor Dostoevsky. However, we know that life will at times test every tool in our arsenal. So be on guard for that. I digress. Even when met with resistance, Dr. King admonished us to remain hopeful and non-violent. In essence, he was atttempting to help and/or encourage us to stay focused and to "keep our eyes on the prize." In every area of your life this is relevant. We have set goals and made plans and have fortified our resolve to be successful in our plans. At least I think we are fortified. Only you know for sure. There are just so many distractions. They cannot be used as an excuse to get off track.
I have a friend who says, "getting older is not for wimps." I say "Amen" to this. It is not just the physical wear and tear on the body that can take you down, but also the things on your mind that weigh heavily. Without a clear path, these things can take you to "regretville." I don't want to paint a dire picture, but without higher thoughts, persistance, preparation, prayer and focused attention this could be our destination. With that said, the good news is that we can avoid this existence or if we find ourselves there momentarily, we can exit quickly and get back on course. Listen.
Read Psalm 22:1-11. This will shock you back to hope. Briefly, David is in a state of "woe." He is fearful of his enemies closing in on him. Namely, jealous King Saul wanted to kill him. Mind you David had been annointed by God to be king even while King Saul reigned. Do you really think King Saul could change God's plans? I think not. But, at the time fear had overcome David and he could not seem to hear from God. So, he languised in fear. He lamented his troubles to God. He was discouraged to the point of believing that it was all over for him and that he was going to be taken out by his enemies. He had lost hope. Somehow, in the depths of his being he recalled the attributes of God. He knew God to be faithful. Not only was there light at the "end of the tunnel," there was light in the tunnel. He remembered that the light of God and the power of God was evident throughout his life. He was victorious in battle because of the hand of God. He had a temporary lapse. He forgot where he had come from and who brought him through. Please read the Psalm. It might jog your memory about how far you have come in your life and who brought you there. He (our Creator) is still with you. Do you really think someone can upset or change the plans that God has for your life? Think again. The answer is, "No." You may still have hope, but what is it based on? Pray about it.
Rev. Jesse Jackson reminded us to "keep hope alive." We have been given the gift of hope by our Creator. Do you believe this? Are you acting on it? Do your actions show this? Unfortunately, life does get in the way of our plans. Our vision can become cloudy , and our memory is not what it used to be. But alas, we can still have hope! Of course, nothing is as easy as "Sunday morning," to quote Lionel Richie. At least not for me. But, I have been blessed with the gifts of belief, curiosity, and wonder. I never tire of believing that all is not lost even in face of all that is going on in our world. I truly believe still that God has a purpose for our lives if we just listen and obey. The question to be answered is whether we want to live out the purpose for which we were created. Don't scoff at this. You do not have to wonder. Give it some thought. Look it up, it is recorded in His word. Do you know what your purpose is? Begin by seeking Him first.
Resistance, fear and uncertainty by any other name still keep you stuck. Neither of these things have a voice. You create the voice. What you must not forget is that you are stuck by choice. Fear tells you, "you better not do that or else." You are the one who fills in the blanks. What will you fill it with? It is up to you. As for me, I will complete it with an attribute of God. But that's just me.
At some point we made plans for what we wanted to achieve this year. Are you still on target? I Implore you to stay the course! Don't let anything turn you around or deter you.
You are not alone. "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:8. God's got your back. His guiding hand is always there. You have to practice discipline and stay focused. Like with David, we can sometimes find ourselves feeling sorry or "throwing a pity party." But, like David, let us come to our senses and remember where we got the strength to throw a "party in the first place." I am being facetious, but the truth is that our help comes from the Lord and that is where we need to go when we need help and reassurance.
The New Year is almost here. Set a date to assess your goals and your action plan. Now is the time to critique and shore up your plan. Do not wait until the end of the year. Look now. Revise, if necessary and keep moving. I keep putting a reminder out there because I know how easily we can forget or lose interest. Put your plan in a place that is readily visible so that it will be always in front of you (on the refrigerator, on your computer) so that you will remember to check it periodically. You can also put a timer on your phone (for those who are tech saavy).
"Most of us have two lives; the life we live, and the life unlived within us. Between the two stands resistance." Steven Pressfield. Are you living your best life? Yes, there will always be some resistance which can keep us in a state of flux. Move past it. This is a weakness/concern of mine. There is always something (maybe an excuse) that seems to keep me/you from following through as planned. But, if you can find a way to get past it, you will get a lot accomplished. "The resistance that you fight physically in the gym and the resistance that you fight in life can only build strong character." Arnold Schwarzenegger. Paralyze resistance with persistence. Do the work. Make a committment to follow through on what you start. Be steadfast. Make time for what you say is important to you.
Let your light shine so that others see the love and the light of God in you. (Let your light shine, God will do the rest). Bless somebody else along the way.
Always show gratitude. This will keep you humble. We should never get to the place where we think it is by our efforts alone we have succeeded. "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you." Romans 12:3. Give thanks in all things. 1 Thessalonians 5:18.
Finally, "The night is far spent, the day is at hand! Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light." Romans 13:12. It is time to get busy doing the right thing while it is still day (while we have the time). Get busy evaluating the outcome of your current goals and celebrating because you had the presence of mind to set them and to stay with it until completion. It can only get better.
May God bless you in all your endeavors!
Yours, Yvette
Thank you again for all your support. I remain appreciative. You can comment at vttlane@gmail.co.