Lost

Hello, ya'll.

 Here I am.

 I feel overwhelmed. 

I feel lost.

As with all moods and feelings, they never last. Happiness doesn't. But neither does sadness. They all wash away, like specks of dust on a window pane. It seems when we get caught up in the daily struggle, the surface of the glass, we lose sight of the light shining through it. If we become so focused on ourselves, then we become murky and opaque. The light shines just as brightly as before, but no one can see it through us.

How do we deal with this? A thousand different obligations, all pulling at us. With ten things always on our minds, it's hard to focus on just one. Deadlines looming, people expectant, how many more times can we use the excuse, "I'm busy!"

I don't know why it is that way. Why do I always say "yes" to the next project, the next obligation, to the next responsibility?

We can't look back, we can't pretend away certain things, we can't abandon that which we already have.

But we can forget. We can forget certain responsibilities that don't seem that important compared to the latest flash and glitter. We can ignore the things that don't press for our attention, that don't seem "worth" it.

You've probably guessed what thing I've forgotten. It's God.

Sometimes, we look around our lives and ask "How can we have SO MUCH STRESS?"

For me, stress comes from several areas in my life. One, the tedious amount of responsibilities I have. (Most of which, seem non-negotiable.) Two, from the anxieties of that which lies ahead. (Which seem so real.)

I've got movies to edit, school to learn, music to practice, dances to ready for, college to think about. I've got the world to worry about. Trips to foreign countries, wars between nations, the political scene, the never-ending decline of morality, the growing darkness.

And in that moment, I forget who I am and who He is. I'm nothing myself, but I have everything. I have a God who has done great things. A God, who has shown strength with His arm, who has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly, who has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.

I have a God of unimaginable glory. And He's on my side.

We need to remind ourselves of that every day. Night and day, rain and shine, happy or sad. If we forget to look for the light, why do we complain of being in the dark? If we turn away from our God, why do we cry that we're abandoned? If we pull away from our only strength, why do we wonder at our failures?

Leave the past in memory. Leave the future to the One who plans it. Pray for the grace to see the present through, one step at a time. Buildings are built one brick at a time. Races are won one step at a time. Why do we try to overcome it all at once?

Wherever you are right now, put your strength into that. Don't worry about the appointment you have this afternoon or the piano lessons tomorrow. Focus on the beautiful opportunity before you now. That doesn't mean forgetting your responsibilities, it means knowing your limits.

As Mother Teresa put it beautifully:

"We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. But if the drop were not there, the ocean would be missing something."

 All that is required of us is to give our best. God will take care of the rest.

After all, what can we do on our own? It was never about our strengths or talents or abilities. We're helplessly weak, unable to save ourselves, much less care for others. And that's a cause for joy. In our weakness, the light of Christ shines brightly in all that we do. It's one thing to say, God is good, when we are filled with every earthly blessing. It's quite another for the least of the earth to say it. The downtrodden, the abandoned. The forgotten, the lonely. The destitute, the sick. The ones who have been dealt the harshest blows life can give. What if they say it? What if they shouted it for the world to hear? They, despite everything, are filled with an unconquerable God. They have joy. They are living beautiful lives because God is more. Because God gives them the strength to carry on. I've seen people like that.

A beautiful life never depends on circumstance.

In the end, what do we have? We have worries, stress, multitudes of responsibilities, an overwhelming amount of distractions. Aren't they the ones who have nothing? If that's true, then God give me strength. Give me the strength to seek You above all things. Grant me the courage to lose everything that distracts, worries, and pulls me away from Your love. For without You,

I'm lost.

Just so you know, this is an older post I wrote a while back. I'm feeling much better now. :P