HopeFul Reflections

I spoke recently about how I went through a pretty rough patch in my personal life. I always make it through whatever the issue is, but it was pretty clear in review it had taken a toll on me. All the stress, the doubt, the sleep deprivation, and the isolation had become an incredible weight. I’ll admit that I had started to forget what made me feel strong or even like myself. I couldn’t enjoy the victories in my life because the man who aimed for those things wasn’t there. I forgot the confidence and drive that helped me pierce through all of life’s struggles. When my internal flame is hot I feel unstoppable. All the problems in the world do not matter because my spirit is unrelenting and I know that God is on my side. As Isaiah 54:17 states, no weapon shall prosper, but I had forgotten this.

It was time I lit the spark again. I took some inspiration from David Goggins book “Can’t Hurt Me”. I highly recommend this incredibly motivating book. First I needed to remember who I am. I needed to remember every struggle I’ve overcome, every time I felt lost and created a path where there was none, and how I’ve always surprised myself with my ability to persevere. I’ve faced many challenges recently, but I have overcome them and each challenge I have overcome is another piece of evidence to me durability.

Secondly, I needed to remember the things that motivate me. The movies, the people, the books, the stories, and the events of my life that drive me everyday. The events of my life that gave me drive still drive me, I had just forgotten what they were. By the end of my life I need to have lived a life worth remembering. By the end of my life I will create a life that is evidence of God’s support and his love. I want my works to outlive me as a testament to his greatness just as in Mathew 5:16. I want my works to be beacons of support on which people may lean while remembering that all of it is possible only through God who has strengthened me.

This brings me to my third point. I need to overcome new challenges in order to prove to myself that my past is not a fluke. Even if the flame has lost a little heat, that doesn’t change how hot it can burn. The next few posts will be about how light the flame again. I may have been a little lost, but with God as my guiding light I will forge a path.

-JKG