A richness of spirit is the true measure of a life well-lived. Ask the Lord, Jesus Christ, to please enter your heart and help your faith to grow stronger every day. When your faith is as small as a mustard seed, ask God to show you how this tiny treasure can create a forest of hope and resilience. When your faith grows as huge as a mighty oak tree, ask God to help you have the humility to see every small, helpless creature in its shadow and offer nourishment, shelter, and shade. Growing successful is a worthy earthly goal, but growing in faith will always remain your ultimate spiritual mission.
The path to that spiritual mission often winds through life’s most challenging valleys. One of the lowest times in my life occurred about 14 years ago, during a period of profound difficulty. I was battling a new diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and felt physically weak. My work was unsteady as a substitute teacher, and I found myself unable to make ends meet. It was a humbling experience that led me to use a food stamps card for six months — a first for me at the age of 60 — and found myself depending on help from my sons on a regular basis. This was a first for me, someone God has always blessed to find ways to make it. Legally, too.
During these tough times, the internal strength I cultivated became my lifeline. I committed to keeping my faith strong, turning off external distractions and focusing inward. No televisions or music for me. My daily routine became a sanctuary: I read my Bible daily, awakened early each morning for dedicated prayer and meditation, and visualized my life returning to good health and financial stability. Folks, when you feel this way, it is time to pray, lay down on your floor, facedown, prostrate before the Lord, and pray humbly at his feet. I guarantee, he will hear your prayer, just like he heard mine!
I nourished my mind exclusively with positive wisdom, listening day and night to the empowering voices of motivational speakers and spiritual leaders such as Les Brown, Zig Ziglar, Wayne Dyer and others.
This intentional shift in focus worked. I strengthened myself from within, and my circumstances began to change, and trust me, your circumstances will begin to change for the good, too.
My finances improved tremendously, and my health was restored. The message I carry from that experience is simple yet powerful: Temporary circumstances eventually end, and with unwavering faith and internal fortitude, yours will, too.
Allow the following scriptures to minister to your spirit throughout this week. John 8:12, where Jesus says, “I am the light of the world,” symbolizing hope and guidance; Psalm 119:105, which calls God’s word a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; and Hebrews 12:2, which speaks of Jesus enduring the cross for the joy set before him.
Hope through darkness:
• John 8:12: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
• Micah 7:8: “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.”
• Proverbs 4:18: “The path of the righteous is like the first light of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until full day.”
• Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
In conclusion, always remember that you are never alone. Just accept the Heavenly Father as your savior, then begin to lean and depend on him. You will have your part to play, but stay steadfast; be kind to others. Your personal, sacrificial help doesn’t always have to be with money. Give someone a smile, a kind word. Make it your business to help someone else during your time of need. This type of behavior will guarantee you a more positive attitude. You will soon see that light at the end of the tunnel! Amen!
Lyndia Grant is a speaker/writer living in the D.C. area. Her radio show, “Think on These Things,” airs Fridays at 6 p.m. on 1340 AM (WYCB), a Radio One station. To reach Grant, go to her website, www.lyndiagrant.com, email lyndiagrantshowdc@gmail.com or call 240-602-6295. Follow her on X @LyndiaGrant and on Facebook.
