Reality

When wondering how things will be any better or clearer, aiming to see reality clearly may be helpful because sin (especially pride) often hides reality. For example, in the Garden of Eden, sin was believing a lie about God—that instead of his command being there to protect humans, the lie was that he was hiding something wonderful from them.

Often the reality is we often have very little control over the state of success and relationships. Relationships don't depend entirely on us. If we have a good relationship, we allow the other person in the friendship to do as they please. And companies and the results of our work sometimes largely depends on a whole team of people and even on customers, who are people we may never meet or know.

But acknowledging this reality helps us to realize the all-importance of faith in life. We need to rely again on faith. Faith that God is good. That no matter what happens in the company or job or in a relationship, he will be there. And the end of our story as a Christian is the most beautiful story. And even while we're here, the ability to glorify him is ever present.

It's easy to believe that everything depends on us and become overwhelmed or discouraged due to that because we're starting to feel too tired or doubt our ability to accomplish what we have in mind. We may wonder what we can do, but the question should be more "What is God doing?" and the answer is that he is doing everything for our good, and he will protect his children.

What God asks of us is to have faith. And the situation in our life is the situation in our life because he allowed it. Pride either tells us that we don't need God and we can fix it all on our own, or pride may tell us that we are not good enough or God doesn't see us because we are too small or insignificant (pride is displayed in pitying oneself, because pride is an intense focus on one's self).

The hardest part of all of this is to be humble enough to know that all humans don't see reality correctly. We are imaginative people inclined to be a bit too prideful (unrealistic of our abilities and sometimes not even self aware of weaknesses). Our sinful nature hates to think we have not much control over things. We definitely should do all we can and have responsibility but we need to let go of what is not ours to control.

Realizing our limitations is helpful because it takes the focus off the person who has the limitations (us) and puts it on the person who has absolutely no limitations (God) for how things will be better.

We also need to have a good knowledge of God. God is not like Santa Clause, where he only steps in when we are good. He is a God of forgiveness and hope. So that's why we can have faith. We don't have to rely on our works or abilities. We rely on him. It's our love and appreciation for him that helps motivate us to do good works.