Knowledge can inform us, guide us, keep us out of trouble, knowledge can create opportunities, help us remain calm in the midst of chaos, and knowledge—if not kept in check—can knock us completely out of phase.
So, how do we fully enjoy all that we have? By doing just as the old hymn reminds us and "Count Your Blessings. "I have found in my own struggle with contentment that the key is not to do battle against envy, but rather to starve it out. In other words, ignore it.
When our focus is on our trying our energy will be drained. However, when our focus is on our goal our energy will be renewed because the progress we are making will serve as increased motivation.
We live in a transactional world. We earn the money – we buy the thing. We do the crime – we do the time. We plant the seed – we reap the harvest. As human beings, we are doers. So, it stands to reason doing can knock us out of phase.
Our thoughts will lead us to seek out formulas and work find suitable transactions to earn our comfort, our care, or our very salvation.
To keep our relationships healthy and our community in phase is to keep our eyes fixed on the source of our hope and through love and good deeds encourage others to do the same.
As I look back on my life I find it interesting how seemingly small things – things we often don’t give much consideration such as musical preferences, hobbies, or even the routine or mundane moments of life—can alter the course of our very existence.
We all like things to be a certain way. We appreciate the predictability of having a formula: we plug in this number, these ingredients, we follow this map, and voilà! mission accomplished!
“God, I’m trying to do everything right, everything I believe I am supposed to, and yet disappointments and heartaches always seem to follow me.”
There are certainly absolute rights and wrongs, non-negotiable things, the "do not pass go & do not collect $200" sort of things in life, But not everything is cut and dried.
