When It Rains

Hello, God--

Today is here, and I have a whole day ahead of me now, a day that I can make the most of, or a day that I can squander.  I thank you for this day and the opportunities that it brings to me, and I sincerely hope that I can make the most of them.

Of course, today also means a trip to the dentist.  That's a mixed bag, there, for it's very positive--the dentist is going to fix a problem that I have with a tooth--and very negative--it's going to cost a lot more than we really have to spare right now.  In fact, it's one more thing piled up on top of many more things that are making our financial lives quite difficult right now.  Car issues, fewer hours at work, the loss of a steady source of income, annual bills coming due--all these things are adding up to a huge problem these days, and it's getting almost impossible to see any light at the end of the tunnel.  I know that we're not unique in this way--millions of people are having problems making ends meet these days--but it does get quite frustrating and demoralizing.  One of the most difficult parts of it all is knowing that we work hard, and we do good jobs in all that we do--much better than average jobs, yet there isn't any corresponding return on the great amount of effort that we give.

What are we supposed to do when we watch our bank accounts draining, when we look to the future three months from now and realize that there isn't going to be anything left at the end of a month?  What do we do when we work very hard and well, only to be paid less than many other people who do much less work?  How do we deal with it when we're trying so hard to reach a level of stability with our finances, only to see another $500 go away to get a car fixed?

I'm not at that point, but I can certainly understand how people can turn away from God and religion when such difficulties arise in their lives.  How are we supposed to maintain faith when we're promised over and over that God will take care of us, yet we can never get ahead and we can never find financial security?  How can we be living our lives fully and getting the most out of life when there are worries about money on our minds almost all the time?  It simply doesn't make sense.

A reply:

I can certainly see your logic about faith.  I want you to know first and foremost that it is not in my plans to have anyone suffer from worry or from poverty.  It does happen, and it happens far more than I would like to see.  It is not my desire to see anyone feel hopelessness and frustration, except that they function as catalysts to cause people to move on to better things in life and even better lives.  There are no true paradigm shifts in any areas without a sense of crisis to bring them about--and some people need greater crises to cause them to make changes that will improve their situations.  It is not in my plan to see you suffer from worry, but is it possible that the negative feelings you have that result from worry may provoke actions on your part that will make such worry negligible or even non-existent in your life?

And those changes need not be major changes--they may end up being changes in attitude, changes in perspective, changes in acceptance.  Or changes in trust.

One thing that does concern me constantly is the fact that so many people would look at your situation--or the situations of so many others that are similar--and say that it's your fault.  From a worldly perspective, they would say it's your fault because you have the wrong jobs, because you haven't saved enough, because you've squandered money on other things.

From a spiritual perspective, they would say it's your fault because your faith isn't strong enough, because you're not "right" with me, because you need the lessons that money problems and worry will provide you with.

I will say very clearly:  it is not your fault.  Yes, some people do squander large amounts of money and end up suffering financially because of it.  That is not the case here--I know it and you know it.  That is not the case for millions of people who have similar situations and worries.  It's important that you know that you're not facing these problems because you bought a pair of shoes last month instead of leaving that money in the bank.  It's not happening because you ate out three times last month.  It's simply happening.

And it's hard for me to say "have faith in me" when you have had faith in me up until now, and you're still facing these problems.  In all fairness, why would you believe me when I say "have faith"?

One thing that every problem needs is time.  They're rarely solved quickly and neatly.  Over time, you'll watch things fall together in ways that you couldn't predict, and you'll see your problems diminish, slowly and surely.  You'll learn ways to cope with what's happening, and you'll develop strategies for compensating for the issues.  I will help you through that process.  I'll help you to open your eyes to solutions and strategies, and I'll help you to deal with your worries effectively instead of letting them overwhelm you.  I will do all that I can to give you peace of mind and peace of heart, for when you're facing life from a peaceful place, it's easier to see what's needed.

I would love to say "Give your problem to me and I'll solve it immediately."  Life, though, has never worked that way.  It isn't designed to work that way.  It's hard to hear "Hang in there and keep at it, but don't worry," but that's essentially what I'm saying--with the offer to take your worry over myself.  Give your situation to me and give your worry to me, and I will work with you to bring a resolution to them both.