Q: I did not do good during his Ramadan. I feel so disappointed and depressed for that. And unfortunately, this was not the first month of Ramadan that I lose. Almost every Ramadan I have this problem. What should I do?
A: First of all, this disappointment is a sign of the faith inside you; that you are not satisfied with your conditions and that you aspire to improve. True, missing the blessings of Ramadan is a great loss, but as long as one is alive, the chance is still there to turn the loss into a victory and an advantage. Let’s build on this yearning inside you to be better and let’s translate it into action.
One of the causes of the failure to benefit from Ramadan is the lack of or being late in preparation for it. Perhaps this is the case with you. So, I suggest starting preparation from now. It is not too early. Actually, the regret feeling you have now for missing the past Ramadan is something that you need to utilize before it calms down. So, don’t procrastinate. Start right away preparing for the next Ramadan. This will help reduce your depression and will make you more passionate to do better.
Make a plan of developing your `ibadah and getting rid of bad habits. Think of how you want your next Ramadan be like and work on that. Adopt a slow- but-sure attitude: Start with a few items that you commit to and never abandon at any cost, e.g. fasting 3 days a month or praying two extra rak`ah before you go to bed. Review your progress regularly, once every two weeks or even monthly and add more acts of worship to the list.
In addition, be in anticipation of the special seasons of blessings and try to make up in them. After a couple of months we will be witnessing a very special season of Hajj Slowly but surely, God willing, your spiritual condition will be better and more ready to receiving the next month of Ramadan.
(onislam.net)
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