Which direction?

Painful memories can be the source of our negative outlook on life. When situations arise that challenge our happiness, we deal with it based on our previous experiences. Our perception of the outcome defines how we manage it. If our past dictates that we get hurt, we believe the new occurrence will hurt us also. We attempt to ignore the fact that our old wounds cause us to be guarded in our decisions. By all means, as you are facing challenges in your life, you should be careful when deliberating things that have a major impact on your livelihood. But being guarded means that you are viewing your situation from the vantage point of pain. And the bottom line is, your conclusion of the outcome will only favor the scenario where you think you won't get hurt. In situations, such as these, you should pray and ask God for His guidance on how to handle the situation. Let Him direct you down His path. The key to following HIs direction is surrendering your will to Him. This calls for a simple prayer: "Lord, I'm confused and hurt, and I don't know which direction to take. I surrender my all to you. Please show me what to do."