Daily Reminder #1

If only we could see how the twists and turns of our present are quietly clearing the path for our deepest hopes and dreams, we’d stop blaming God for the prayers that feel unanswered. If we truly knew what it would cost to make some dreams real, maybe we’d never dare ask for them at all.

But God, in His goodness, always knows what we need and how to shape our longings into something beautiful, in His time. So hold on, dear soul — be still and trust the unfolding. His deliverance is nearer than you think. You’re closer than you know.

The story of the nails in the door

I was reading through my WordPress reader’s feed this morning when I came across Julie’s Hammer Post. The article reminded me of a story I used to read as a child; it was printed in the tiny booklets we’d receive at my religion classes.

The story unfolds

A man had a problematic son who tested his patience on a regular basis. Discouraged by his son’s misconduct, the parent resolved to hammer a nail in a door for each of his transgressions. Soon, the door was covered in nails, and there was no place for another.

Surprised, the boy inquired, „Father, why are so many nails in that door?”

This door represents your actions, said the father. Every nail represents one of your mistakes. The son began to reflect and gradually improved. Shortly, the positive actions would eventually outnumber the wrongdoings.

As he watched his child’s progress, the father began removing the nails from the door. He eventually removed the last nail one day.

In amazement, the boy ran up to his father and said, „Look, father, there’s no nail left in that door!”

The father replied: Yes, but what about the holes left in the door?

Conclusion

Our life experiences are similar to this story. Sometimes, in our haste and negligence, we end up hurting our loved ones with our words or actions. Because of the great relationship we’ve built over the years, arrogance, the attitude of a know-it-all, could harm our most precious people.

Most of the time, we are correct, but the way we convey the information can harm the souls of those closest to us. We may try to remove the nails, but the words, like the holes left by the nails in the door tale, will remain.

Everything that happens in life is the product of decisions we make, intentionally or accidentally. People, events, success, and failure flow through our lives like a river, and we choose based on who we are in the moment.

We also choose how we respond to what happens in our lives, and every time we choose between love and fear. No matter how genuine our fears are, they are only a creation of our minds, an illusion.

According to Neal Walsh’s book Conversations with God, love is the sole true state that exists in our lives from the minute we are born. But we just forget because we’ve been living in fear for so long.

Today’s reminder is to take a breather and assess your feelings before knocking a nail on someone else’s door. Ask yourself what triggered that thinking in the first place, since it is always about us, whether we choose to live in fear or in love.

If you want to be the change you wish to see in the world, you must first resemble the people around you so as to attract the mirror of your soul. Some people will get closer to you, while others may walk away, and that’s just fine.

There will be no nails or holes in your life when you are exactly how you want the world around you to be. Think about that.