MarriedandWhatnot

I recall in my younger years there were lyrics to a song by Common that always stayed with me. He was telling a story of coming home from a long trip only to find out his home had been violated. Someone had stolen something from him. While on this journey home, he stated – In my mind home was pictured and rest was the frame.

The older I get, the more I appreciate peace. I define peace as the stillness in the moment after a storm. After the trials have passed and you can breathe a sigh of release. The euphoric feeling that allows you to relax and consumes your belly with contentment. There within lies a problem. Life is full of difficulties, so how do we manage stress and achieve this same level of contentment while in the midst of a troubling situation?

There is an old saying that every cloud has a silver lining. I never really understood the optimism in that statement even as a child…until I grew spiritually. One could say that statement simply states a disposition that one takes where they see and expect the most favorable outcome, regardless of the situation. If we say we walk by faith, then we really have to take this element of hope in an otherwise bad situation. As one site wrote, we must develop a hopeful or comforting prospect in the midst of difficulty.

While going through a storm, no one wants to hear about God’s purpose or plans for your life. Let’s be honest, you want immediate deliverance. Just keep in mind that there is always some hopeful aspect even in the gloomiest situation. It is all in your perspective. If you choose to see the situation for its face value, sometimes you will miss the underlying meaning. Focus on the things you do have versus what you lack, and open your mind to receiving revelation from your situation. Sometimes it just takes you stepping back and looking from a different perspective. What you thought you initially saw may not be the case.

Everyday I look for signs in my life and try to read into them God’s intentions. – King Silas, NBC Kings