A year ago, I went through one of the darkest moments of my life. The lights were literally switched off on my end, and everything stalled. Depression and trauma were eating deep into my flesh. The two psychiatric disorders conspired to drain every ounce of energy from my already submissive body. I was already worn out, but it seemed they were resolute to get me lying flat on the ground.
Abraham Lincoln was once asked what his greatest motivation was. He took a sigh of relief before calmly responding, “When it gets darkest, the stars come out.” Yet for me, it only got darker. In my world, I was obsessed with empty ideas of pitifulness, despair, and guilt.
What Do You Do To Lighten Up Your Sky?
As Lincoln said, when it gets darkest, the stars will show up. And indeed, they did for me. One morning I woke up early than usual. It was strange, but I was determined to change the toxic environment I had created around me. I took a 3 kilometer run along the winding paths leading to a nearby home for the physically disabled. When I got there, at around 6:00 in the morning, already a number of them were up.
What struck me was the way each of them was handling their tasks. Some were cleaning, others were preparing morning breakfast, while a good number was clearing their farm ready for planting. Then, in the hall, was a group of girls knitting and sewing. That alone was enough to raise my spirits and set me free. I immediately felt like bondage had been broken, and a yoke lifted off my shoulders.
Keeping a Positive Attitude Is Vital for our Growth
However, since I rose from the bottom ends of crippling depression, I have learned to feed my mind with positive vibes. Above all, the greatest lesson has been that life will never be ideal. To that end, experience has taught me to view the bad things that happen in my life as impetuses for growth, character development, and strengthened faith in God.
My intention of writing this article is not to downplay the pain, anguish, and loss, which are synonymous with some of the darkest moments of life. It is instead to appreciate the importance of grieving in such times and acknowledge our weaknesses and losses. Life can sometimes be so discouraging and disappointing. But what do you do? Stop breathing? In dark moments, as Lincoln asserts, the stars will show up.
I was recently surfing through the internet, searching for tips on how to tackle life problems. My search led me to an article, “Why is life so hard” Initially, my intention was not to find out why life was hard. I wanted to know how to tackle my problems. Luckily, I ended up finding both.
God Doesn’t Work in the Way We Want
Our approach towards God might be compromising and subjective. Many of us submit to God with the hope of achieving some goals. We commit to serve God but with conditions. Sadly, that is not how God works. It is not automatic that if you are always on your knees praying, then your doors to success will be opened. Neither is it a guarantee that whatever you ask in prayers will be given.
It is not a perfect world we live in. Sometimes you have what you want and need. Yet other times, your dreams and aspirations crush before your own eyes. Do you then stop everything and start castigating God? No. You only need to realize life is not a farm where we all converge to eat ice creams and chocolate.
Life Will Never Be Fair
We grew up knowing that everything wrong happened to the bad people. We were also made to believe that only good people in society had good moments. What fallacy! Nothing could be further from the truth. Catastrophes hit even the most disciplined and humble. How many times do we see thugs and morally dented personalities climb up the ladder of success?
We live in a world where things will not always happen as we expect. The best to do is to embrace these challenges, own them, and eventually use them to make yourself a better person.
Always keep this in mind
What you have read above should not act as a quick fix. Let it be, however, a perspective from which to draw renewed hope and strength. I hope you use it to build your confidence and help you walk this rough and loud path that is a quiet life.