Have you lost hope?

Guest post by Janet Cassidy

Have You Lost Hope?

I’ve been blank lately. Utterly, desperately blank . That is why this newsletter is late and why my website has not been updated. I hope you’ll forgive me. I have been sidetracked. I have reached a point in my life where I am increasingly looking outward and growing less willing to spend as much time on the computer. I am embracing a balance between my writing and life outside my home office.

Balance, I think, is very important. We have lots of things to balance, don’t we? How, for instance, do we keep Christ at the center of our lives, while living our lives? How do we balance family and work responsibilities without ignoring our relationship with God?

The problem is we try to separate ourselves. Parenthood, for instance, is not separate from discipleship. The very meaning of our life comes from our role as a disciple. It must penetrate every aspect of our life. It doesn’t matter if you have responsibilities as a student, an employee or someone who is living out retirement. All that you do must stem from your connection to Christ.

Of great concern today is this disconnect we are experiencing from God. Our loss of hope is a major factor in the ills of our society. When we no longer feel connected to God (and others), we become apathetic because we lose our sense of purpose. A life without goals or meaning reflects a life of lost discipleship. I heard a priest say recently that when he counsels people who feel they have everything but are not happy, he begins with this question: What have you done for someone else? That is the heart of our discipleship and the meaning of our lives.

My good friend, who always has clarity, provides a solution: Ask God to help you. Ask Him for whatever you need and trust in His response.

May God bless you today and bring you comfort and peace through the hope of Christ.

Janet
Please visit my website at http://www.janetcassidy.com for more news and commentary, including my blog (which I promise to update soon! :)