Waiting On God

Waiting is hard to do. It requires a great deal of faith and patience. In our humanity, we want things to work out in a certain time frame, particularly if we’ve been waiting for something for a long time. Learning to wait patiently is a virtue. And learning to wait in faith without seeing an answer for a long time is also a virtue.

Throughout my life, I’ve wondered why certain things have happened. It has required great faith and dedication to my spiritual walk to be able to come to terms with a lot of those things. Hardship has brought me to my knees and has brought anger and pain to the surface of my life. It has seemed to me that the more difficult the circumstance that I’ve encountered, the more it has taught me, albeit unwillingly much of the time. But I have learned to believe and come to know that whatever is divinely ordered will someday be made right, and will bring me into a deeper understanding of God and the purpose he has for me. It’s been extremely difficult, sometimes more than what I thought I could bear.

The last few years have been indescribable for all of us. There has been so much pain and anguish that it is almost unbelievable. Yet it is happening around us every day. Questions of why will haunt us. Images we see bring pain to us. How do we survive these types of things? By believing that someday we will understand, and by knowing that someday we will find peace on the other side of these problems. It is of little comfort when we try to reason things out ourselves. Trusting in a larger perspective and understanding will open us up to higher truth and meaning. Knowing that “this too shall pass” gives us the hope that one day we will recover and be able to move on.

If you are suffering, please find refuge in the fact that you are loved and cherished. Try not to take things that hurt you to your core in such a way that you will never be able to mend or recover. You have great meaning and value. Your life matters as do the lives of your family and friends. If we could only spread a spirit of kindness and compassion amongst ourselves, we could make this world a better and more palatable place to live and survive in. Pain begets more pain and is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Love and light are a choice, particularly in the face of destruction, anger, and demise.

When my children passed away, I didn’t think I could survive it. I struggled for years in grief, anger, and desperation. I finally came to the conclusion that the only way I could live was to make the decision to be of help to others and to bring good from the horribly bad things that had nearly destroyed me. We need to find a way to continue on, to persevere, and not give up. Procreating purpose and good is a wonderful way to achieve that goal.

I sincerely hope that I can help you decide to continue living within the parameters of hope and meaning. It’s extremely difficult at times but worth it when you come to the other side of your pain. Being an overcomer is a beautiful thing, particularly when you are able to help others be and do the same!

The art piece that I’m sharing below is an illustration of that process. I hope it inspires you and encourages you! It is true that we need to be the change we want to see in the world. Start the chain of hope today by being a light in the darkness!

Becoming by Diamante Lavendar, available here.

2020

This year has certainly been something out of the ordinary-something nobody could have predicted. I think it can suffice to say that this year has been ‘otherwordly’. Before the pandemic hit, I created a piece of art that fit very well with the onslaught of 2020.

Growing Through Adversity, available here.

Growing Through Adversity, available here.

The description of this work was written as follows: Hardship in life is inevitable. We will all experience it from one degree to another. Hardship redefines us and makes us grow. Much of it we have no control over. But it can make us stronger and wealthy with wisdom if we choose to have the right perspective about it.

Now that I look back at this work, I find it almost haunting that I uploaded it on my art site on April 24, 2020, with the pandemic hitting only weeks afterward. It is true that hardship really causes us to grow. I find it almost amazing how much. It seems that the deeper the pain and the valley that is forged within, the deeper the insight and understanding we gain. A difficult part of being human.

Then on May 3, before the pandemic became critical, I uploaded a piece as a response to the beginning of the craziness that was befalling us. The work was titled A New World Order. And how strange it has been to see the civil unrest and disunity that this pandemic has caused or brought out among people. I truly believe that unity is the answer to fighting this pandemic and to rising up as accomplished, caring citizens of this country.

A New World Order available here.

A New World Order available here.

The description of this work is written as:

Current events have changed our world;
Hardship and heartache have brought much concern.
A world divided against itself will surely fall,
Unity is the answer to destiny's call.

How true that became after the pandemic had caused economic issues and social unrest. I pray for a better future- a world of unity, cooperation, and understanding rather than division and anger as we have seen run much too prevalent in current times. Everything that has happened has reminded me of Martin Luther King Jr’s statement: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." His words still ring true to this day! I pray we can rise up and adopt that stance in our current societal condition!