Faith Is Your Roadmap
Your car got a flat tire yesterday. This morning you found out that in a couple of weeks you’ll be laid off from your job. You're still dealing with the side effects of walking away from yet another toxic relationship a few months ago. You’ve also been having some weird back issues lately. On top of all of that, you're sitting in the midst of a global pandemic.
*sips wine*
Welcome to life. The place where there seems to be a huge pothole every couple of miles down the road.
It’s pretty obvious that most things in the human existence come with some sort of opposition, right? No matter who, or where we are, it is just the nature of life to always have something to deal with. Whether you are religious or atheist, an entrepreneur or working for a corporation, a child or an adult, we all experience the challenges of life!
Along with the issues of life, come the issues of the mind. As a reaction, the mind naturally begins to generate thoughts of hopelessness, self doubt, or anxiety whenever it has to face conflict. The worst part is that the battles in our mind are often times greater than what we face in reality, because that is where the decision making happens.
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What does your reaction to the issues of the world say about your faith? It doesn’t really matter what you’re going through, what matters is how you choose to handle it. Faith is continuing to drive down the road even when it’s bumpy and your tank is on E, because you know that a gas station has to be coming up soon.
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Growing up, my mother would repeatedly tell me, “Everytime you walk outside of that door, you are not only a representation of yourself, but of your family and the household that you live in.” It’s funny how simple lessons can show up in many different ways. My mother was saying that however I act in the world is a reflection of what I’ve been taught in the past. With this in mind, I want to challenge you with a question.
What does your reaction to the issues of the world say about your faith?
It doesn’t really matter what you’re going through, what matters is how you choose to handle it. Faith is continuing to drive down the road even when it’s bumpy and your tank is on E, because you know that a gas station has to be coming up soon. Hebrews 11:1 - Faith is the substance of things hoped for and it’s the evidence of things unseen.
The secret of faith is that it is activated by the lessons of our past. The experiences of your past can act as a roadmap of how to navigate the current situations that you’re facing. This means reminding yourself of what you’ve already overcome. Reflect on the lessons that you learned last month, a year ago, or two years ago. If you’ve made it through the ups and downs of life before, be confident that you can do that again. To have confidence, you must remember who you are and where you’ve come from. It’s a mindset that even if the worst thing happens, you’re still committed to living an abundant life. It’s a representation of how your belief has carried you thus far. Once you have faith in your mind, it’ll start affecting the way you act as well. Your faith is evident in how you speak to others and yourself, how high you hold your head up, and how confidently you walk. 2 Corinthians 5:7 - For we walk by faith, and not by sight.
So, do you let the things that you see dictate what you believe? Do you believe that your business can be successful even through a global pandemic? Do you believe that when the small things in life come to distract you, you’ll stay committed to your end goal?
You were never told that this life would be easy. In fact, you should anticipate that it will be hard, because that’s just how life is. Your belief system should determine how you show up and deal with it though. It’s easier said than done, but I’m encouraging you to keep driving. Roll down your windows, blast some music, and keep going. You may be in a place that you’ve never seen before, but use your faith to guide you to your next destination.
