Do you find yourself facing ‘problems’ in your life? In many motivational and spiritual teachings, the word ‘problem’ seems to have become ‘politically incorrect’. Instead they prefer the term ‘issues’ that we are ‘processing’. However, whether you call them issues or problems, we all encounter them in our lives and the key question is how do we approach and resolve them?... As I began contemplating this ‘big issue’, a great quote from the film “The Matrix” came to mind: “you cannot see past a choice you don’t yet understand” What does this mean? To me, there is but one true purpose in life. It is NOT to create things, it is NOT manifest our hopes and desires, nor is it to find love, peace and contentment and yet all of these things may be the by products of the one true purpose - to self realise - to be realised in EVERY MOMENT as the absolute supreme beings we are. So we come into this life to face ‘problems’ so that we may be caused to make choices. Each choice exposes both an aspect of what we ARE NOT and hidden within, an aspect of what we ARE. Or to put it more simply, each ‘problem’ contains a hidden gift. So for example: * we may be struggling to stay in a particular job - perhaps we’re not meant to be in that job? Perhaps by not doing the job, something else might come along that better facilitates our true beingness to shine forth
* we may find we can’t afford our life style - perhaps we’re meant to to ‘downsize’, want and need less and thereby find that the true expression of who we are is more accurately expressed with fewer distractions
* we may find our relationships are not working out - perhaps we’re being too needy of people which is generating a sense of lack and incompleteness within? Maybe a period alone discovering our true worth is the gift in this problem? So in this way, if we look deeply enough and with stillness of heart, we are likely to find that EVERY problem conceals such a hidden gift. Sometimes the gift may be difficult to see when obscured through the mist of our hopes and fears. However if we can centre in stillness, we’re sure to find the light of the soul dissipates the fog yielding the pearl of wisdom we were always meant to uncover. We chose all the circumstances of our lives before we came here and we ensured that no problems were created without these concealed pearls. Sometimes we may find ourselves struggling to find them. In these circumstances I find the way forward is to simply surrender to the truth of the moment. To give up struggle and be ‘awesomely okay’ with the way things are... ”Don't tell me how wonderful things will be...someday.
Show me how you can risk being completely at peace,
truly okay with the way things are right now in this moment,
and the next, and the next, and the next..."
Oriah Mountain Dreamer In my experience, when we find the gifts hidden within our problems, we always experience a sense of letting go as more of our inner completeness and innate beauty is unveiled, at which point the problem always seems to ‘miraculously’ dissipate. So if you find yourself facing a problem in life, and it would be very surprising if you didn’t, then can you also see the hidden gift within it? By Chris Bourne Quote | 
