part 1:
the best advice i have ever been given goes this way:
say everyone (at work/in your family/that you're friends with/in the world) sat in a circle. they were then instructed to throw their biggest problem/burden/struggle into the middle of the circle. each person is given a chance to see each problem/think about them/ponder them. then each person is instructed to pick one problem and walk away from the circle with it. the moral of this anecdote is that, more often than not, everyone will leave the circle carrying the same problem with which they entered the circle.
part 2:
i have found that people in my life either know that i am a very faith-ful person and am both religious and spiritual, or have zero idea that i am this kind of person. i take responsibility for this. for as much as my faith is a huge part of my life, i struggle with the charge to go out into the world to create disciples or sharing my faith with people who i do not already know to be like minded. however, i do work to make God the center of my life, Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior, and i do believe in the life everlasting. that all being said...
i completely believe in free will. i think that God knows what decision we are going to make because He knows our hearts, not because he pre-determined it. also, i think that God knows what we can handle, and what we think we can handle, and He has a penchant for pushing limits. and that takes me back the moral white elephant gift exchange of sorts from above. the grass is not necessarily always greener. and even if it is, it may not be shade of green that suits us best.
the reason why all of those people in that circle walk away with their problems is because, even if they are scary/scandalous/difficult/awful/shameful, they are the problems that we were equipped by God to handle. they are the proverbial crosses that we were cultivated to carry. we choose our problems because we've been there, done that, and know we have lived to tell the tale. the problems that others have, well, we haven't passed that test yet.
and we also only know what we see...a family/relationship/job/situation that may seem like a dream come true on the outside may in actuality be a nightmare. i have found that there are often two types of people, or at least that people tend to lean toward one way over the other. there are those who like to keep up appearances with their best foot forward at all times presenting a facade of living the dream whether they actually are or not, and those who like to play the pity card, the woe is me card, the drama card.
i find it interesting the people who are woven into the textile of my life. i have been blessed to be befriended by fantastically strong, faith-filled, insightful, women who support me in my life, my dreams, my successes, my failures. conversely, i have been "be-enemied" by women who may be insecure, jealous, malicious, or just plain old bitchy. i have dated boys who are kind, loving, funny, supportive and intelligent. conversely, i have dated boys who are liars, cheaters, manipulators, and just plain lazy. i am sure this cacophony of characters is something that many can relate to...knowing people who we are humbled just by being in the presence of, and people who make us wonder what we did to piss God of so badly that He felt we needed such a force in our worlds...but these people are just the beginning of what equips us to tackle adversity. in these people we have the experience in facing evil, and the support system to get through it...and so i am grateful for every positive experience that i have had because it keeps me strong. and i am grateful for every negative experience that i have had because it makes me stronger.
and because of all of this, i'm content on my side of the fence. more than content. pleased. happy. satisfied. and i hope that you are, too.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (new international version)
no temptation has seized you except what is common to man. and God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. but when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
