How are you feeling today, right now? How have you felt over the past weeks, months or years? I’m not looking for the socially acceptable, pat response, “I’m great!”
How are you really?
Do you feel centered, content and at peace, calm and supported no matter what life brings? Do you feel love and acceptance for yourself and others? Do you feel joy? Do you have clear goals and are you making real progress toward them? If so, that is wonderful.
If instead you feel anxious, confused, fearful or like you’re on a hamster wheel, let’s talk. Let’s talk for real.
Deep down, you may feel that you were meant for more and don’t know why life can seem so hard. I understand. Life can indeed seem difficult and arbitrary, and with so many messages bombarding us and competing for our attention, we can feel overwhelmed, sad and defeated. Sometimes, we go down a path simply because it’s what someone else expects of us or talks us into, but then we find the path doesn’t feel right or is even quite damaging to us.
The power of connection
Just suppose you get on the right path for you, a path on which you feel peace, joy, purpose and true connection with yourself and God. Can you imagine how this feels? Instead of feeling anxious and fearful, you are centered, at peace and are resting in the knowledge that you are fully supported on your journey. You make decisions from a place of calm. You simply know how to proceed, or you wait until you do. You see, God always knows what is best for us and will never lead us astray. It is when we are impatient or not fully connected to Him that we take detours away from the best of what He has for us. When we seek to align ourselves with God and fully trust and believe in His goodness and grace, anything is possible. That is a promise made over and over in scripture. But, proper connection is key.
Prayer and scripture are life-transforming
I have found that staying in prayer, reaffirming that I want to connect with God fully, and meditating on scripture are the keys to a transformed life. And I don’t mean just every once in a while, whenever I can squeeze it in, but I mean near-constant prayer. I liken this to how a computer has programs always running in the background. I may be doing other things, going about my day and talking with other people, but in the background, I’m staying connected to Source. That connection will randomly jump to the forefront of my mind as I observe a beautiful sunset or flower and thank Him for His creation, or when I need help with a challenge that arises. He is always there blessing, helping and supporting me, whether or not I am conscious of it in the moment. If ever I begin to feel the slightest bit anxious or unsure of something, I get quiet and call upon Him. I thank Him for being with me, guiding and protecting me, and reaffirm my commitment all over again.
The result of proper connection
When we cultivate this full connection to God, amazing things happen. We have invited Him in and are in constant communication, so we begin to see His hand in our lives; we see how He leads or lines things up for us. We gain perspective and feel energized, hopeful, thankful and joyful. Our purpose and path become clearer. Old difficulties and anxieties pass away, and we have new life.
A scripture for meditation
There are many verses that speak to the peace we can find when we trust in God, but I’ll leave you with one:
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” – Isaiah 26:3.
Let us seek a full and unwavering connection to God. He is our source for peace and all good things.