How to Find Your Path in Life

Welcome to The ValueStack. You’re weekly dose of Spiritual Reboot.

In this issue, we have our featured article followed by some links to Bible Project, a super helpful resource I recently found for getting a macro-level view of the book. Think forest not trees.

Feel free to share it with your friends if you think it might help them, this is a free publication.

HOW TO FIND YOUR PATH IN LIFE

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If you’re like me, you’re tired of the same old positive talk BS. You tried it all and you still suffer.

Well…

That was me. I don’t suffer any more. I love life.

Don’t let that annoy you. Just read on.

ARE YOU ON THE RIGHT PATH?

Have you ever felt like you are heading in the wrong direction? Despite everything you've done and all your efforts towards self-improvement and goal setting?

You're not alone.

Many of us strive for betterment through positive self-talk, self-actualization, and visualization and countless other "izations." For some, these methods lead to results. But if you're like me, they never did much.

Partly because I like to anchor myself to reality. And in reality, I do not measure up to many of the people I encounter on a day-to-day basis. No amount of positive self-talk will change reality.

This is a harsh thought, but it's true. I have managed to become wealthy in my life, but I can't afford to fly private jets. I have made a living as a writer, but I am nowhere near as successful as my favorite authors. I am physically fit. My daily workout is something most people will never attempt, but I am no David Goggins.

Knowing all the above to be true, how do I manage the negative self talk? How is it that I manage to keep from tormenting myself as I often did in my 20s and 30s?

Moreover, how do I manage to live each day with a smile on my face, no matter what happens? And, have a sense of inner peace that most people, even the ones I compare myself to, would trade anything to have.

And no, I'm not about to give you some lecture on comparing yourself to your earlier self. I happen to think that is mostly nonsense too.

Instead, try this idea.

It's not your vision for yourself that matters. It's not your self-image. Rather, it's God's image of you that matters.

THE GREAT PROGRAMMER

Imagine a video game programmer creating a character. This character has infinite potential within the rules of the game. He or she is designed not only to participate in the game, but to master it, to beat it.

This programmer knows every trick, every secret, every power that the character possesses and is capable of harnessing. Now, consider this in reality, with God as the programmer and us as His characters.

And God created us to beat this game too.

Like a parent at a little league game, He believes in His creation – in you – to reach the pros some day. But unlike a parent who is naturally biased, and possibly delusional, God has seen every version of every human that has ever lived.

He has seen humans overcome every conceivable obstacle. So, when it comes to what you can achieve, God doesn't just think; He knows.

This is how I choose to view myself.

Not as some delusional superhuman or demigod, but as a character in God's game, endowed with infinite potential. This outlook isn't just comforting; it's the only logical conclusion.

Something made us. That something is good. That something is watching us to see what we do inside this world he created. And he is routing for us. Like the ultimate crazy soccer mom. Without the crazy.

THE TWO PATHS

Led Zeppelin was right...

In life, "there are two paths you can go by": our path and God's path for us. Sometimes, these paths are one and the same. Yet, we often deviate, especially when fear casts its shadow.

Humans prefer the well-trodden, predictable road. A paved highway with rest stops and restaurants.

God's path? It's less visible, winding through a dense, untamed forest, fraught with danger, but also brimming with adventure and lessons.

On God's path the only certainty is that it will be harder than whatever road we create.

STAYING ON GOD'S PATH

So, how do we stay on God's path, aligning as closely as possible with His vision for us?

Well, that’s going to be a major theme in this newsletter going forward. I will research these answers and bring you all the ways I find. For now here are a few that help me:

1. Choose Love Over Fear: Decisions made from a place of fear tend to be the 'safe' options, diverting us from the divine path. Opt for choices rooted in love and courage.

End the bad relationship. Quit the job. Climb the mountain. These tend to be God's way.

Drink the beer. Stick with the same dull job. Stay with the jerk. These are most definitely our paths.

2. Create Space for God: Make time for solitude in nature. It's in these moments of quiet that we can hear God's voice more clearly.

Get off social media and toss your phone in a drawer for a short time each day. And listen. Just listen. Be bored for a change. And listen.

I run in the mountains or ruck lately. 4-5 miles a day. In the sun, the heat, the cold, the rain. That may be extreme for some. But even if you just go the park and walk there for a start, you’ll see what I mean.

3. Embrace Daily Struggles: Incorporate challenging physical activities into your routine and practice moderation in your indulgences. These acts of discipline prepare us for larger trials.

Hard workouts. No sugar. No fast food. No Alcohol for a while. These decisions make the voice of God clearer.

4. Limit Mind-Altering Substances: Alcohol, weed, coke, and all that other garbage will only ensure that you do not hear God's voice. Why?

Because the result of not listening to God and following his path is pain. Internal pain. And that pain is God telling you to course correct. Numbing it makes it worse.

Look for discomfort, treat it as a signal. A nudge to realign with His plan for you.

NOTE: The exception to this rule is the occasional psychedelic therapy session. These can tune you right into God's radio broadcast when done responsible and correctly with a trained guide.

By adopting this perspective, you open yourself to a life of greater fulfillment, purpose, and profound spiritual connection, transcending the limitations of self-imposed narratives and embracing the infinite potential within.

Hope this helped.

If you want to talk reach out to [email protected].

Bible Project is a super helpful resource to visualize the stories and how they all tie together. I have watched all of the video series and I find they are a good way to remember where certain stories are located in the book.