A friend was describing how he had lost his wallet. In the normal panic, he began to search everywhere. Eventually he found it in the most inconspicuous place – tucked in his tennis shoe. The feeling of relief in a circumstance like this is huge. You have avoided calling the D.M.V., Social Security, and all your credit card holders. It is amazing how quickly the concerned emotions are replaced with business as usual. Have you ever gotten ready to jump in the car and head out to an appointment only to find you have misplaced your car keys? You know they are there somewhere; it’s just a matter of discovering the unusual place you absent mindedly laid them. We have all experienced the frustration of loosing something and the happiness that follows when we find it again. But when a person feels as though they are lost, it is an entirely different thing. It seems as though when someone has feelings of being lost, he has no idea how to find himself and then he feels completely helpless.

One of the definitions of lost in the dictionary is, “having wandered astray.” There are many different reasons that trigger these lost feelings. You may feel sad because you have lost someone you love and picking up the pieces seems hopeless. You may not know how to move forward with your life because what you have always known is over. It may be unemployment or loneliness that has taken you off your life’s path and you just don’t know which direction to take now. If you feel life is hopeless it’s time to re-evaluate because there is hope – hope for joy and hope for your future.

You are most likely feeling insecure and you need someone to come along side of you to point the way and even walk with you for a while. Our life here is fleeting, so are all the things we have collected and treasured. Sometimes when this reality hits us, we begin to wonder what it is all for anyway. When everything begins to seem futile, it’s no wonder we feel lost – we don’t know where we are going, how to get there or even why. There has to be an answer; there has to be more. To feel alive and positive is available to you. You need to know your direction, get on that path, and go there.

Every single one of us has been given a gift from God – the gift of life. You were created for a purpose and you are special. God has a plan for you and when you discover it, you will no longer be lost; you will have a purpose and a direction and you will know exactly where you are headed. You will no longer be lost. Yes, there are self-help books, psychologists and even medications, but none of these are the final answer; they are only Band-Aids. You need a real and everlasting fix once for all.

If you would like to pursue this journey from lost to found, those of us at Joy of Hope would like help by sharing the pathway with you. You may contact us at office@joyofhope.org and we will be happy to give you the Good News. All you will need to do is have an open heart and be patient.