formerly Akeret haBayit in Training

Friday, April 30, 2010

Feeling Lack

The other night I was in my bed crying. Basically, because of my own paranoia, insecurity, fear, and assumptions of a certain situation. My mother came to talk to me, and, understanding how I was feeling, didn't try to tell me, "You shouldn't be feeling like that...etc etc." But she did tell me that as a child of HaShem, I should be looking at my life, every area of it, not as half empty, insufficient, or barren, but as half-full, He is all sufficient, and I have good things and there are good things to come.
Now, besides how this was relevant to my situation,I realize that  it is a very important mindset to have, if we are to be confident, secure, and happy people. I think that sometimes, when we want something so much, and are afraid of losing it, we can forget to look on the bright side of things.

Please, please don't think at all that I have all this "down-packed"- as you see, it has just dawned on me. I am now trying to daily  live it out. I never knew that there was a difference between how you feel about your life or a situation when you look at your cup as half- full, and when you look at it as half empty.
Personally, I tend to get a bit obsessive about things ;) And so when they have a chance to not turn out the way I expected or want them to, I begin to slump down into the empty  mindset. Its amazing that over the past few days, I am able to realize, though it takes a while, when I am looking at my life or something as half empty- and to try to change my point of view.I realize it because when I have the half- empty mindset, I begin to feel fear, insecurity, and to assume. This is because I am looking at something as "lacking", and when I feel that I lack, I may begin to feel like I, my inner self, lacks, or that I am insufficient.
I also realize that this all has to do with feelings, and that no one should base their life, relationships, or etc on how they feel, because though it is an important aspect of ourselves to take into account, our feelings can change day to day- they are not reliable. Hannah Whitall Smith, in "The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life", says that this is the order things should be in (she was speaking concerning our relationship with G-D, but I think it is also a good way to look at it in other areas of life)
Fact-Faith-Feeling

 Fact- think about what is, not what may be. What does G-D's word say, what are you sure of right now. Count your blessings- they aren't figment's of your imagination. :D
Faith- You must believe in the fact- G-D does love you, or your life is half full, not half empty.
Feeling- Ignore these until you have the above two points as foundation. When you do, your feelings, you may find, will be very different from what you felt before you looked at it this way.

So I want to encourage myself and others not to live your life fearing, or in a mindset of lack, but as children of the King, as having abundance. We are not our circumstances, situations, or even mindsets, because all these things change. But we are what we believe about ourselves, whether we know something to the contrary or not. Look at the facts, have faith, and the rest will come in its place.

2 comments:

  1. I never thought of using that fact-faith-feeling idea in other areas of life... but what a great idea! What is the truth about what is good in this situation, what do I believe about the goodness of God, and yeah, by then I should be feeling better about it all! Thanks for posting that!

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  2. Wow, this is exactly what I needed to be reminded of today. I've been dealing with a lot of conflicting facts/feelings/ and faith... you are so right! Thanks for this!
    Blessings,
    Kate

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