November 14, 2021
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Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
My Mom used to always say God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform and a little child shall lead them. One day I was watching a video of my 5-year-old granddaughter attempting to get from one side of the pool to the other by holding on to a tightrope as she stepped on water pads along the length of the pool. I began to see myself through the experience of this brave little 5-year-old child. She was holding on with all her strength as she managed to get from one water pad to the other. There were times that she could not hold on any longer and fell into the pool.
Well, she got right back up and put all her effort and strength into trying again. She told her mom she wanted to try it again, because she figured out that she had to do it different than the way she did it the first time and had to use her arms to pull her forward, so she didn’t fall.
She used her arms to pull herself forward and stretched her legs until sometimes her toe was just barely touching the pad in front of her. But eventually she was able to land one foot on the pad and then the other. She tried again using new strategy and made it all the way to the other side without falling!
Little did my daughter know that when she sent me that video, I was actually going through a very rough time myself and I felt like I was barely holding on to a rope suspended above water. Furthermore, I had already fallen into the water several times. But I was so inspired watching my granddaughter’s tenacity, will, and unrelenting spirit to succeed. Instead of focusing on how many times I fell. I began to focus on how many times I got back up. I began to focus on like her, how many times I stretched my legs to reach a goal in front of me, sometimes only barely touching my goal with my toe. But hey, I was touching it.
The next thing you know, I was touching my goal with one foot and then the other foot, until eventually I was standing on top of my goal. I realized that all the times that I had fallen, God did not let me drown. Another thing I noticed is how my granddaughter smiled her way to her goal. I too began to smile, knowing that as long as I keep holding on to God’s unchanging hand, as long as I keep trying and giving it my all, even if I fall, God’s not going to let me drown and He will get me to the finish line to achieve His purpose for my life. I also realized that sometimes I need to just change my strategy because if I keep doing the same thing that’s not working, I will keep getting the same results that won’t work.
Is there something that God has called you to do? You set out on your way, enthusiastic to complete the task. However, you had no idea of all the challenges that you would face. Maybe you also feel like you’re holding on to a tight rope suspended above water and you’re stepping on pads that are afloat on the water to get you from one side to your destination on the other side. You’re using all your strength to just hold on and even then, sometimes you feel like you are barely holding on. You may even have fallen in the water yourself.
Well don’t’ give up. When you are striving to complete God’s purpose(s) for your life, you may fall in the water, and maybe even more than once. However, as long as you put your faith in Him, you can rest assured that God is not going to let you drown. Each time that you fall and get back up again, holding on to God’s hand, you are growing stronger and stronger and stronger and getting closer to achieving God’s purpose for your life. And as you move closer to what it is that God has called you to do, with each step, the challenges that you faced, are now behind you just like the pads in the water. But remember, sometimes, God might be telling you that you need to change your strategy and do things differently than you did before.
Prayer:
Dear Father God,
Thank You Lord for being the omnipotent God, who by Your divine and unmatched power, gives me the strength that is needed to keep going in the face of immense challenges. Only You God. Thank You Lord for the strength to hold on. And Lord as I move toward achieving Your purpose for my life, even when my grip gets too weak to hold on and I fall, I ask that You help me to look to You even more and rely on Your strength to get back up. Lord I know that I must press on and reach for the prize of the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus. I know that I must stretch myself and give my all to what You have called me to do. Lord as I do these things, I ask for increased faith to know that even when I’m barely holding on and feeling unstable, You will get me to the finish line. Because God I know that You can do anything but fail.
In Jesus name I pray,
Amen
Copyright © 2021 Dr. Lou Ella V. Taylor PhD, CNS, RN