Hope

In the stormy seas of life, where is your lighthouse? In this past year I spoke with a man who had painfully shared that he had contemplated suicide on several occasions in his life. He spoke of a time when it seemed like the waves were crashing in on him from all sides, and he was so close to going under. Marital problems, addictions, job loss, despair. Many of us take pride in bulldozing our way through the struggles and heartache of lifes traumas, and wonder, usually insensitively, why others can't just suck it up and move on.

Emotions are bottled in, our masks are placed firmly on, and we cannot possibly show weakness or vulnerability to one another for fear of judgment and ridicule. We suffer in silence when we hear people speak of the weaknesses of others, recognizing the same weaknesses in ourselves.

The waves of ridicule, condemnation, shame, judgment, and other peoples opinions of us continue to pound down upon us as we try to navigate the already choppy waters of life.

Where is the light? Where is the hope? Our own strength and intelligence can only carry us so far if we are to be gut wrenchingly honest with ourselves. The mask of having it all together becomes more and more precariously balanced as we struggle to keep up this image.

When we are struggling, whether it be with addictions or other issues in life,we are often told by well meaning people that we are strong, that we can get through this. In my own experiences with life I have come to realize that as opposed to hanging on to my own strength, that it was much more liberating to accept and embrace my own weakness.

Until we are able to recognize our weaknesses and fallibilities are we able to humbly accept that there is something much more powerful than us that is at work in this world. Our God of love is the strength for those willing to admit their need. Our god of self will inevitably let us down and fail us in our own strength.

If the waves are crashing down on you and you are struggling with life, feeling depressed, desperate, disillusioned, maybe it is time to seek out a new light house. There is hope for radical change in our lives when we come to the realization that we desperately need it and want it. I encourage the reader, wherever they may be in life, to click on to the link to the right of your screen, Community of Hope. Open your heart and mind to the true lighthouse that will bring you through the stormy seas of life. What have you got to lose?