A SET BACK… AN OPPORTUNITY

I’ll be making ten thousand dollars a month, I’ll drive a Mustang, I’ll have my place, and I’ll retire my parents by 2024 were some of the goals I had written back in 2021 on my long-term vision board. Noble goals for sure! I remember sitting at that desk envisioning the great things the future had in store for me. Trips, relationships, and much fun. There is only one problem! It is 2024 and I am not near making ten thousand a month, I drive an old Honda Civic, and even though a couple of months after I had written these goals I moved to a different place. Today I am writing this blog post sitting at the dining table of the place I swore I’d never go back. Auch!! What a tough hit for my ego to take. Already knowing the inevitable, I couldn’t help but look at heaven and say, “Really God? For how long are you going to put me through this situation? Hoping that God came from upstairs and gave me an answer, I kept on going with my questions. “Ohh and since we are already at it God… could you please explain to me how on earth you think that taking me back to the same place is going to help me grow? The questioning went on for about 40 minutes, as I was driving back from a catering event I had worked. Now, I don’t remember seeing the divine coming down from heaven, but I do remember having this one thought right after I had woken up the next day. This thought has brought peace, and calm into the madness, this thought has changed my perspective on things, but overall, it has given me a heart of gratitude… something I didn’t have a few days ago.

Very rarely in life, do we get the opportunity to face the same situation twice. I don’t know about you, but there’s been a couple of times in my life where I wish I had a rewind button. I’d for sure press it to go back to that one day when I came home starving after a tough workout, and my mom was waiting for me with a plate of lentils, rice, and eggs. Words can’t express the joy I felt that day! I was tired, hungry, and wet because it had rained. Lintels with rice is my favorite dish and I bet you it is because of that one day. I’d press it if I could go back to that pool where I kissed this girl I had been liking for about a year, heaven only knows the amount of butterflies I had flying in my stomach. But if I was only given one chance to press the button, without hesitation, I’d press it to go back to that phone call with this girl I was dating during my sophomore year in high school. God only knows how much it hurts me to remember the way I spoke to her that afternoon. It is something I’d probably carry with me for the rest of my life… my mom always reminded me that when the time came, and I fell for a girl, I needed to protect her heart like a treasure. Nonetheless, that afternoon I failed at my duty. Ask yourself, if I had a rewind button what would I press it for? While going back in time to experience a great memory sounds like a no-brainer, I’ve found that most people would instead go back to mend the harm they caused to others, to say something that was left unsaid, or to hold their tongue from spitting those irreversible words. We let our emotions control us, or simply we were just never mature enough to face that type of situation, therefore, our response is poor. All we can do is learn from our mistakes and hope that when a similar situation arises, we will respond differently. However, sometimes life throws at us hidden opportunities. And, it is our job to be open enough and make the best out of them. What do I mean? Well, maybe for some reason this person you used to have problems with is in the picture again, or like me, you are having to return to a place where you swore you’d never go back. is it your parents’ house? Is it a friend that was more of an enemy than a friend? only you know what could be the thing that in the past looked unbearable but that today is standing in front of your eyes. That morning, after I had asked God all my questions, I realized that while in the past the story didn’t end with a Disney kind of finale, it doesn’t mean that history must repeat itself. What if the same situation is being thrown at me to prove how much I’ve grown? To apply what I’ve learned over the years? And to overall make an impact on the situation instead of allowing the situation to impact me. I’d say it nicely… you’ll see excrement if you want to see excrement, and you’ll see blessing if you want to see blessings. It all depends on the eyes that perceive. What we call a setback doesn’t necessarily have to be a setback. See it as an opportunity to give the love you didn’t before, to have the patience that was needed, and to show yourself that real growth comes from within and not from the external situations surrounding you. Maybe great opportunities will open if you choose to face this situation with a different mindset, who knows…

My friend, it is an honor to be a part of your journey! We are all trying to figure this life out, so don’t let thoughts of shame invade you when you feel like you are struggling a little bit. Please! If you feel like you want someone to talk to, shoot me an email (you can find it on the newsletter page) I’d love to chat with you. And remember!!! There is a man who has revolutionized my life, and he surely can revolutionize yours if you let him. His name is Jesus! And he offers you the best relationship you could ever experience. Get to know him…