Nothing is final yet. I imagined shaking hands with the organiser and happily receive a cheque from them. I see myself with frantic heartbeat and at same time concealing that overly excited look on my face. For a moment, I thought I might faint. Haha. The first time winning the lottery, oh my god, so exciting, isn;t it?
To stay focus on one single sensation, one mental picture and keep repeating it till it is out pictured in the real world for me. That is my homework. If I allow the temporary setbacks (contests, mini lotteries, etc) to distract me and affect my faith, then I had given in to reasons (equivalent of doubt) that this wish/goal is not happening and soon my confidence starts to wane.
1 Corinthians 16:13 Remain alert. Keep standing firm in your faith. Keep on being courageous and strong.
To give up is the easy part as it relinquish one from the responsibility towards the end goal. It quickly dissipates the stress held within and also the anxiety of the unknown is gone but that would be back to square one to forming a new goal but giving up each time. Isn't that insanity? Walking in faith is like a blindman walking on the streets, unable to see the signposts and landmarks ahead of him. The person with sight see clearly, guided by these external objects and tread carefully not to be hit by them.
"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. Matthew 6.24
Fear and Faith, choose one. Happiness or sadness, choose one. The state that we wish to penetrate, we must ensure we enter it fully and not stepping in with one foot, half heartedly and having second thoughts of withdrawing. This defeats the purpose of entering the desired state in the first place. The outer senses want you to believe it is not real, that you are beaten, doubts want you to believe it is not possible, reasons after reasons or evidence upon evidence, it wants to convince you the fallacy of this concept. But one must hold steadfast to its faith and never let it go. Lots of man-made isms would have you believe that your luck is dependent on this colour, number, certain month of the year,etc. Remember this ; Isaiah 46:9 — For I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me.
When we put our trust wholeheartedly with one Lord, the one and mighty, the "I am-ness", we won't be distracted by the worldly man-made ones and be led ashtray. The confusion would be eliminated and all teachings/learning are found in the scriptures only. The world wants you to believe in diversification, scattering your faith like headless chicken running amok the streets with no clear sense of direction, following the latest Pip Piper blowing his horn around. Temporal success may get to you but its fleeting success quickly sets you back to before or worse.
You gonna have faith - WHAM