Meditations on God

Doomcasting

Some of us think too much.

We have wild imaginations that can take us off into all sorts of strange places.

This can, at times, be quite an asset and can help us to solve or even foresee problems in unique and interesting ways.

Along with the benefits of this tendency to overthink, however, comes some drawbacks.

Our overthinking can cause us to turn that which is simple into something unnecessarily complex, that which is easy into something difficult, and that which is insignificant into something impossibly overwhelming and frightening or frustrating.

We can turn any experience, circumstance, or interaction into much more than it is or needs to be in our minds.

If we allow negativity to infect our thinking, we can start predicting all sorts of terrible scenarios and outcomes.

Soon, we begin forecasting our own doom and demise.

This ‘doomcasting’’ as we can call it, does us nor the people around us no good at all.

Not only does it drag us down into the depths of cynicism, despair, and the kind of loneliness that only bitterness and anger can lead us to, but it is also a lie.

What we imagine will happen in the darkest depths of our over-active imaginations is not what is actually happening now, in this moment, in actuality.

What is happening now, whether we know it or not, whether we acknowledge it or not, and whether we accept it or not is that an infinite, loving God is loving us infinitely and unconditionally.

All of the thinking in the world cannot and will not change this fact.

June 19, 2021

god, grace, mercy, negativity, over-thinking, thinking

Hurt Feelings

One of the defining characteristics of being human is that we can be hurt.

Of course, we feel physical pain, but we can also be hurt emotionally.

It does not matter who we are, how strong we may be, or how confident we feel, we all have emotional weaknesses somewhere.

And, the more we open ourselves up to feel love, joy, and enthusiasm, the more we open ourselves up to being hurt.

The alternative is to shut down, to close off our hearts, and to avoid feelings altogether.

The problem with this approach, however, is that it does not really work.

All that happens when we end up only feeling the things we would rather not.

So instead of protecting ourselves from being hurt, we find ourselves in a constant state of emotional pain.

In this way, the perceived solution actually creates the problem we are trying to avoid.

It is not feelings we want to avoid after all.

It is hurt feelings.

A far better, albeit more frightening path, is to open ourselves up to the possibility of being hurt by being open to the possibility of love, joy, and enthusiasm.

At least by taking this path we give ourselves the opportunity to feel the best that life has to offer.

While this may feel like a gamble, at least there is a chance that we will be happy.

By choosing the path of a closed off heart, we guarantee that we will not be.

June 19, 2021

feelings, love, openness

Permanent Security

We all seek security in different ways.

Some of us seek it in our relationships, companionship, or popularity.

Some of us look for security in our work, our careers, or some other form of success.

Others of us believe that money, possessions, or material wealth will give us the security we are after.

Likely, most of us want to find security in all of these things.

Unfortunately, whatever security we think we will find in these things is an illusion.

Any one of these external facets of our existence can be taken from us at any moment.

If we have placed our reliance for security upon transitory things, when they are gone, so too goes our security.

In fact, just the threat of these things being taken from us is enough, if this is where we have placed our hope, to terrify us and cause us to panic.

That is because there is no security to be found in that which is, in its very nature, impermanent.

If we want to feel safe, secure, and comforted, we must look toward that which existed before we were born, that which will exist long after we are gone, and that which can never be taken away from us.

If we want true safety, security, and comfort, the only place it can and must be found is in God’s love.

God’s love will never abandon us, it cannot be taken from us, and, no matter what else we lose or gain in our lives, it will always remain constant for us.

We all seek security, but if we look for it in that which we can lose, we have set ourselves up for disappointment and distress.

If, on the other hand, we look for it in that which is permanent, abundant, and ever-present, we will never be let down because, for as long as we rely upon him to do so, God will never cease sustaining, protecting, and guiding us through all of our difficulties toward better things.

June 17, 2021

comfort, god, impermanence, permanence, security, transitory

The Persistence Of An Idea

Sometimes we get an idea in our head that just will not leave us alone.

It nags at us constantly in all of our waking hours.

Regardless of what fears arise or what logic is thrown at it, it persists.

It feels as if the only way to quiet this relentless whisper is to act on it, to follow through, and to see what happens.

There are many names for this type of persistent thought that pulls us toward it no matter what we do.

Whether we refer to it as our passion, our dream, or our calling, it feels like destiny beckoning us in its direction.

And, why shouldn’t we listen?

So long as this idea is not immoral, unethical, or irresponsible, why should we not act on it, even if only to see what happens?

If we do nothing, nothing will change.

We will continue on as we are.

But, eventually, when our opportunity has passed us by, this idea unfulfilled will become regret.

Ideas that will not leave us alone can be resolved through action.

Regrets that will not leave us alone can only be resolve through time and even that may not work.

Action, therefore, no matter how frightening, risky, or uncertain the outcome, is a far better gamble than regret.

June 16, 2021

dream, idea, ideas, passion, persistence, regret, regrets

For The Team

We often hear the phrase “take one for the team,” but it is less common to hear “the team is going to take one for you.”

Teamwork should be a two-way street.

The effort, the loyalty, and the benefits should go both ways.

The burdens and the sacrifices should as well.

A team is what the team does together, what it shares together, builds together, loses together, celebrates together, and grieves together.

There is no blame in a team.

There is only accountability, support, and the mutual sharing of responsibility.

When one part of a team falls behind, the rest of the team helps them keep up.

When one part of a team fails, the whole team fails.

When one part of the team succeeds, the whole team succeeds.

Teamwork is measured in shared progress.

A team that asks an individual to “take one for the team,” if they are truly a team, will also “take one for the individual” if and when it is necessary to do so.

A team is a unit that moves as one, wins as one, and loses as one.

June 15, 2021

team, teamwork

Doomcasting

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Hurt Feelings

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Permanent Security

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The Persistence Of An Idea

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For The Team

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