I am convinced that everyone feels a little lost at some point in their life, so if this is you, guess what? You are not alone. This is the point where you decide if you are going to rely on outside sources (drugs, alcohol, relationships, material items, a degree etc) for your "happiness" or look inside yourself and find the reason God put you on this planet. Nobody is here by accident, and until you stop looking at happiness as a destination, I am convinced you will never find it. The journey of finding your purpose is an interesting one, and just when you think you have found it, something pulls you in a new direction.
How do you know what your passions are? What haunts you, makes you sad, pulls at your heart strings? If you had all the money or resources in the world what would you do? There is where you will find your answers. These are the steps that will help you start your journey:
1. What keeps you up at night? This is a loaded question.. For some people, unforgiveness, anger, jealousy, or finances would be the answer. If that is you, the first thing you have to do is let go.
2. Forgive. No matter how inexcusable someone's behavior might be, there is no reason to allow it to consume your peaceful time. Why do we dream at night? This is supposed to be our peaceful, pensive, development time. If it is anything but that, you have some work to do. Forgiveness can be a process. Even if it means seeking outside help, DO IT. Reclaim your peace.
3. Once you have a clean slate you can begin to paint the canvas of your future. It is the time between your crazy day, and when you fall asleep that you will find the starting point on your journey. Slow down. Stop filling your days with so many useless things, and figure out what is TRULY important. Only do those things.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.." Jeremiah 29:11
Enjoy the journey. Every struggle, every obstacle. Some days I want to pull my hair out with kids demanding stuff, bills piling up, or any other bump that shows up in the road. Sometimes it feels we aren't even going to get through the day, much less work towards a higher purpose! That's ok. Don't be so desperate for the "better days" ahead that you can't enjoy the little things in THIS day. The daily moments I treasure are, hearing my baby girl sing, feeling my baby kicking and growing in my belly, hanging out on the couch with my husband after the kids go to bed, learning a new thing I read, and laying down to sleep, peacefully.
Tomorrow, the journey continues. I encourage you to start yours too :)