It's Not Like A Pair of Shoes

For those who know me well, you've inevitably heard about the struggles that I've had in my life, been there to help me through them or supported me after the fact of the matter.  At the time, our struggles seem so huge compared to all that is around us - but once it all calms down and "blows over" so to speak, it's easier to understand perhaps 'why' those struggles occurred.

Easy for me to say now, since things have been pretty smooth sailing for a while... knock on wood.

However, there are a handful of people around me that are really struggling with various things.  And it breaks my heart.

It's simple to say "oh, it's for the best."  or  "everything happens for a reason."  or "you'll get through it."  But when you're in the middle of what feels like hell on Earth, it's not easy to hear those words and even harder to actually believe them.

Most of you know that I'm a person of Faith. 

....and believe me... I've struggled with it at times.  It's not easy to believe in something you cannot see or touch.  And even more so, to believe in something 'good' when everything feels so bad.

And i'm not here to tell you that I'm perfect.  Because I'm pretty sure I'm the furthest thing from it.

But I try.

When I think about the hard times in life, the only thing that has brought me through those times is believing that it is happening for a reason, and that someday I will figure out why everything happened the way it did. 

The older I get, the better I become at accepting that fact and then waiting for the 'vision' of why it happened as it did.

But in the middle of the storm, it's so hard to see the horizon ahead.




I was talking with a dear friend of mine recently.  A fellow single-mother who has raised her children on her own since they were babies.  A woman of such a great deal of Faith that she could move mountains if she believed it enough... and a person that I view as a mentor when I need lifted up.

We were chatting about how things have worked out lately in my life and how thankful I am for everything.  And how she's going through a rough spot right now with things.  She mentioned that the message at her church the previous Sunday was meant for her to hear.  When she says that, I know it's going to be good - so I asked.

All she said was,

"Faith isn't something you put on and take off like a pair of shoes.  Faith is to be worn at all times."


It didn't really touch me at the time, but I thought about it as the day went on.  And it was so right.

Faith absolutely isn't something you're supposed to take off and on like a pair of shoes.  It's easy to want to do that, but that's not the intention of Faith.

If you believe in a higher power, you know that Faith is believing that if God delivered the situation, or circumstances it is because it is supposed to be that way for now and it will pass.

For me, that was a really hard thing to do many times and I know that many of you have either been there or are there right now.  And if you're really honest with yourselves, you can probably identify some moments in your life that were really crappy.... but looking back... had to occur in order to get you to the next big thing.

There have been many times when I just wanted to leave my Faith on the proverbial front porch and believe that the world was against me and that I was never going to find real happiness.   Like the name of my blog, I try not to look into the rearview mirror too much, in order to keep my eyes on what lies ahead - but I haven't lost touch with what's behind.

I think all that is behind us on that long and winding road does more than bring us to where we are today; but rather makes us WHO we are today.  There are things back there that gave us badges of honor... and things that left deep bruises.  There are things we wish we hadn't have learned... and things that taught us more than any degree.  People that traveled with us on the road for a little while, then turned off to a different path. 

You get my drift.

I'm thankful because things are going alright for me right now.  Even if things don't stay the way they are forever, I'm grateful for what "is" at this moment... and hopeful for what 'will be'.    And I have a sense of peace about the fact that, my Faith isn't removable and everything is as it should be in this moment.

...however long this 'moment' in time lasts, I'm going to enjoy for the duration.