Beyond the Hardships


Life can be such a funny thing. There have been plenty of days where it just seems like i'm dragging myself out of bed, cursing the horrific sound of my alarm ringing loudly in my ears. The sun harshly shines through my dirty glass windows before returning behind a cloud where i'm hoping it will remain. I just want to pull my covers back over my head, and stay in the darkness for just awhile longer.

Then there are the days where i awake to the sweet sound of the birds singing, and the wind gently blows the branches of the trees to a calm swoosh. I'm awake, refreshed, and have a bounce to my step. I can conquer the world, and all that my day has to offer. It seems like nobody can stop me and my optimistic attitude.   
Life, you're such a silly thing.

Each day is new. Each day arrives with a set of new emotions, feelings, outlooks, and perception.  
The past few weeks have been absolutely crazy, and just when i think things can't get any worse, they do. But looking back on those horrid 21 days, i'm thankful. First, because through hardships i always learn something new. Through every up and down, there is always something to be taken, seen, and embraced. Theirs always a lesson to be learned, a new way to look at something, a way to improve and better yourself. And for that, i'm grateful. My mother always tells me, If you learn something the first time around, hopefully you will never have to learn it again through another hardship, so learn from your situations and circumstances quickly!
Second, i have learned who my true and valuable friends are. Through all the bad, I've noticed the ones who have gone and deserted me, left me alone in the dust, and who have even seemed to kick me while i was down. However, it has also revealed those who have stuck by my side, lifted me up when i was down, sat with me as i cried through the night and gave me encouragement.

We all go through tough situations, and sometimes the people we thought would always have our backs are the first ones to leave. But at the end of the day, i still have those who have stuck with me through thick and thin, and for that I am thankful. Now i know  what relationships i should be investing my time in, and i will no longer try to please those i really have no matter giving my time or acceptance to.

Third, I've realized not to take things for granted, and to be more thankful for those who are dear to me. Who ever said “you never know what you have until it's gone” was more than correct. Sometimes we  get so used to having something around, we forget to show it our appreciation. And then once its gone, our whole world seems to come crashing down. I lost something that meant so much to me. I'm trying to get it back, but after what happened, i'm just not myself. I gave my heart, 100%, and i don't  know if ever really got it back, and i don't know if i can. From this I have learned to guard my heart, and to be careful who i invest my trust in.

In every situation you have, just remember that you can come out on top. And your hardships will only make you a better person. Embrace everything you go through, keeping your eyes up, knowing that eventually it will pass. Not everything you face will last forever, and for that, you can be thankful.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Value In Christ Alone

Image
How many days do we feel drained, worthless, and insignificant? Many days I struggle with the thought of how insignificant I am. I feel purposeless and feel as though I don't measure up to what the world may expect me to be. I, for way to many years, was putting my identity into the things of this world. What I failed to realize many times over, is who I am. And I am in Christ. Now, we have all heard that we are a creation of God, and that we are made in his image. But I don't think we really take that to heart, I know I didn't. God, The Lord of this universe created the heavens and the Earth, the oceans, and the stars; and He created it perfectly. So perfectly that if the sun was just a few more feet away from the Earth, we would all freeze, and life would not be possible. His creation IS flawless.  And all of His creation is beautiful, just look around you! Its amazing. If he can create all that, I think He is highly capable of creating you and I, perfectly. God made yo...
Read more

I am a Sinner

Who did Jesus surround himself with?  The thieves of the town, the prostitutes, the poor, the beggars, the sick, the outcasts, the unrighteous, the sinners...you and me. What? I'm not a thief. I don't beg (well maybe in high school for my parents to grant me an extended curfew). I am surely not a prostitute. I am in good health. I hope I'm not an outcast.  I am UNRIGHTEOUS.  I am a SINNER.  We sure are all in the same boat now.  So why would we think that church is for the healthy, the righteous, the wealthy, those accepted in society, the rule followers and those who seem to be "good" by the standards we some how created if that was not whom Jesus came for? Some where along the ride we forgot that WE are going to church because WE need help. Church is not a training session for us to sit on our pedestals and learn how to help those who aren't faithfully seated besides us.  It's not for us to look upon our modestly dressed self'...
Read more

Obsessed.

Why are we so obsessed with ourselves? We go to seminars and receive counseling. We go the the dentist and orthodontist to get a pearly white smile filled with straight teeth. We get facials, go tanning and  get our hair dyed to follow the hottest trends. We spend hours in a gym and take supplements or pills when we are not happy with the reflection staring back at us in the mirror. Ultimately, we have convinced ourselves that if we try hard enough, we can perfect our selves. We wear ourselves out trying to reach the humanly impossible standards we set only to find out that all our efforts bring are frustration and exhaustion. Jesus came to bring us rest. He came so we didn't have to tear ourselves apart in the process of striving to be perfect. He came so we could stop focusing on us, and start focusing on Him. Jesus is the perfect picture of righteousness that we could not, and will not be. All we have to do is stop looking at ourselves and start looking to Jesus. ...
Read more