Your Answer is Closer Than You Think

When was the last time you were at the end of your rope and struggling to hang on? Have you ever had a season of life where things seemed so dark and hopeless that you could not find your way out?No? Me neither, but I have “a close friend” who has and filled me in on what it’s like and he schooled me.Truthfully, I have experienced dark nights of the soul that extended into down days and even depressing weeks.In those moments, when darkness seems stronger than light, it's east to lose perspective; our vision gets blurred and we struggle to see things clearly. Perhaps you’ve been there and know what it’s like to feel your sanity slipping away faster than sand through the hourglass and taking your last shred of hope with it.

Hidden in Plain View

Here’s an ancient story that has helped me find my way out of the darkness.It’s the account of a mother who, through no fault of her own, was suddenly homeless with her young child. She made an emergency exit from a bad situation with few supplies, no benefactor, and no real plan of where she would go or what she would do to support her child.After a few days crossing the desert, she found herself in a desperate situation. She had exhausted what few supplies she had, was physically drained, and emotionally distraught.Thinking this was the end for both she and her son, she placed her son under a bush and distanced herself as she could not stand to watch her son die.As she sat there sobbing, an angel appeared and assured that this was not the end for either her or her son.What happened next astounds me totally. Poof! It blows my mind.“Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.”Hmmm.The text does not say that God miraculously created the well. Though he was quite capable of doing that. No. Instead, God opened her eyes to the well that was already there, but for whatever reasons, she could not see.Have you ever been so desperate that you could not see the solution to your problems or the supplies you lacked even though they were right before your eyes?There is great comfort in the story of Hagar — especially for those who have ever struggled with adversity and scarcity. What Hagar experienced was the scarcity mindset on steroids!Ever found yourself there? In an earlier post, I shared about a time where I was hyper-focused on what was lacking in my life and business. I found myself totally enveloped by dark clouds and scarcity thinking. In past times like this, I found it helpful to journal. That particular day? Not so much.Perhaps it was the question I posed to myself, “What is it that limits my thinking, doing, and being?”There I was, sitting like Hagar, feeling lost and confused -- at the end of my rope with no hope.I quickly listed three answers that all began with this phrase, “Lack of…”At that moment, I was drowning. It was a dark and desperate place.Then I remembered Hagar. I found the story and read it.The words,

God opened her eyes, and she saw a well

leaped off of the pages. The well was there! But for some reason, she could not see it.[clickToTweet tweet="Instead of asking “What are my limitations?” ask “What is the well that I cannot see?” " quote="Immediately, the question changed from “What are my limitations?” to “What is the well that I cannot see?” "]It seemed as though everything changed in a flash. In a way, it did.

Changing the Question Changes Everything

Please realize — my situation did not change instantly. But my mindset did! An exchange happened; I abandoned my scarcity thinking and began embracing abundance.Once my mindset changed, so did my questions. Changing your questions changes your world!Rather than asking, “What are the limits?” “What am I lacking?” and “What’s wrong with me?” All of which grease the skids of the slippery slope to no hope.I began asking, “What are the wells I have that I am not seeing?” “What are the resources (assets) I have?” “Who are the people I know that love me, care about me, and believe in me?”As I began making those lists, the longer they grew. And with every line added to the list, hope began to rise.It’s like the motivational classic, Acres of Diamonds by Russell Conwell, the founder of Temple University. If you are not familiar with that classic, get the free download from Temple or better yet listen to the free audio version.The same theme fills the pages of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, which is another great read I recommend.You have wells and resources! If you currently find yourself in a dark and desperate place, ask God to open your eyes and let you see the well that is there.The well is there; your situation is so dark that you are blind to it.[clickToTweet tweet="Trust me; you have assets and resources. You are not destitute! No one is!" quote="Trust me; you have assets and resources. You are not destitute! No one is!"]You may be discouraged, depressed, and even deluded to think there is nothing good about you, but that is a lie.

Do Something NOW

Take an action step this very moment! Do not sit there sulking, it will not do you any good.

• What's the question you are asking that you need to change?
• Start making your list of assets, resources, and connections.
• Join the Living Your WHY Facebook Group to connect with a group of positive peers.
• Schedule a quick connect call with me. We will discuss whatever is on your mind.
• Subscribe to access the rest of the series.

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