When the time is not now...

We live in a world where everyone acts on impulse. When we want something, we do whatever we can to get it. Some people will make attempts within reason; others lose all sense of conviction and sound judgment. Still, no matter how hard we try or how badly we might want something, we don't get it simply because it is not the time. I choose to believe that we don't get what we often want because it is not God's will or His plan for our lives. It's these disappointments that comprise the realm of severe blessings. They hurt but are always for our own good. More often than not something else comes along that was better than what we wanted in the first place. The problem with such hopeful prospects is that they require waiting and thus an endurable amount of patience. We, as impatient creatures, don't know how to cope with these circumstances, so we quickly become so discouraged that we fail to grasp the definitive anchor of hope that comes with waiting: the future. We may not get what we want right away, but we have no right to lose hope as long as there is a future. What would be the point of life if it was a dead end road? What we want may take time and we might not get what we wanted in the first place. But somehow things never fail to work out in the end. It's truly these severe blessings that make God so real and so close. But as long as there is a tomorrow, there is hope.

Severely Blessed

By the mercy of God, I have been very blessed in my life. I take so many of those blessings for granted and often want more than what I have instead of simply being content. When that happens, I become severely blessed. "Severe blessings" are those that don't work out according to my desires. They are "severe" because they are often painful, but they are blessings because God uses them to work in my life and teach me some valuable lessons. I may not get what I want or when I do get what I want, it's not as great as I originally thought. Nevertheless, the pain is worth the lessons from these experiences. So while it may sound like an oxymoron, it never fails to make me marvel at how God can take even our hurts and angers and turn them into something beautiful simply for the sake of bringing us closer to Him.

Where You Are vs. Who You Are

In a recent post, I quoted the great Ralph Ellison, who said, "Perhaps to lose a sense of where you are implies the danger of losing a sense of who you are." While I agree that your surroundings and place in life influences who you are, I also believe that it can work in the opposite way. Where you are can also show you who you are not and where you should be as opposed to where you are. For example, every day I get up and I go to school - high school to be specific. And each day is a living testimony that where I currently am in life is not where I should be. I do not belong in this town or in this school. Still, though I trudge through the ditches and defication of civilization, I am thankful because where I am has shown me who I am not and who I want to be. The future is full of possibilities, and the most satisfying aspect is that I know I have limitless opportunities and amazing experiences waiting for me. As cliche as it sounds, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And while I look forward to attaining the light, I will always remember the tunnel because the experience showed me who I am and who I am meant to be.