No Where to Run

For most people it was a day like any other. The sun was shining brightly, the wheels of commerce were moving at a torrid pace, people where going about their daily rituals, but I could feel the walls closing in. I felt trapped and helpless to do anything about my current situation.

It was more than just a bad day, I felt as though I was living in my own self-imposed prison. I couldn't run off and disappear, there were people who depended on me. I didn't want to work, but someone had to put bread on the table. The fatal blow to my psyche was a feeling that all my dreams and hopes had been swept away  - I had lost belief in myself, hope for the future and confidence in my ability to accomplish anything worthwhile.

That may sound like a great big pity party, or crying in my soup, but it was real and nearly fatal. No, I wasn't thinking of taking my life, but emotionally I felt dead inside. I can't identify the date and time, but somewhere while I was wallowing in the muck and mire of my own self-pity something wonderful happened. (Just as the lost son came to himself, so did I).  I took a little self-inventory and realized I have something really valuable to contribute to the world.

Slowly, I began to remove the shackles of depression, failure and discouragement and replace them with hope, confidence and sheer will. Once little successes started to come my way I began to feel as though I could do anything. Today I still have good days and bad. There are times I want to throw in the towel and days I can take on the world. In short - life happens to me every day.

I choose today to share a little of my struggle because I have a number of friends going through some hard times. When it feels the world is closing in on you and there is no where to turn it is hard to take that next breath. When you feel shackled and bound by bad decisions, the careless acts of others, or just a bad run of luck you have the urge to give up.

DON'T! Never Surrender! Never Give Up! Life has lots of good things for you still - I promise. Life can be a little overwhelming at times, but you have what it takes to take on the day, to overcome the obstacles, to beat down the opposition. If no one else in the world believes in you - there are two people who do.

1. I believe in you, because I have been in that deep dark place and I know there is path that leads you safely back to a fulfilled life.
2. God believes in you. You may not seem Him, or hear His voice. You may feel abandoned by Him - but He is there and He cares for you.