COURAGE TO CONTINUE

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. - Thomas A. Edison

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. - Winston Churchill

Feel like you failed? Or feel like someone has failed you and you are suffering some fallout?

I love what C.S. Lewis said, Failures, repeated failures, are finger posts on the road to achievement. One fails forward toward success. - C. S. Lewis

One fails forward to success.  That is so true.

In fact John Maxwell noted leadership trainer and Pastor wrote an entire book on “Failing Forward”.

Truth is we are all going to experience setbacks. It is part of climbing life’s mountain.  Our footing will give way from time to time, the person who we thought had the rope may let go, and we may take a step back or two.  We will face naysayers and ruts, bad days and hurt feelings.

But as Churchill chimes, it is not fatal.  We must continue to have courage and to continue to trust GOD that the challenge, though hard to understand at the time, is NECESSARY for our development!

Romans 5:3-5 (LB)

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady. Then, when that happens, we are able to hold our heads high no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

So we can’t live in fear of failure.

We can’t live apprehensively or pensively, waiting for the “next trial or shoe to fall.”  We live in a world where things are in constant change.  We live in a world where the attitudes and agendas of others will not continue to coincide or agree with ours. We live in a world where we may be knocked back a peg or two on our path.

The key is to remain FOCUSED on the FATHER at all times.  He is constant. He is consistent. And as long as you are walking in obedience and toward Him, though those around you may drop a banana peel or two or you may experience a blip on the screen, it is not enough to stop you from maintaining your vision, listening to your heart, and pursuing the calling of CHRIST on your life.

Often as the recovery community says, SETBACKS are SETUPS for COMEBACKS.

The trial is there to define you, reveal your character and often reveal the character of the company you keep.

So don’t get discouraged.

For:

…no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Have the courage to continue.

 

I love you all!

Have a GREAT WEEKEND!

Freedom Church

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F7ErmvGV4o