This frail, delicate but magnificent dress of mine had
been the best of many dresses. I received it a few years ago from the King. He
had a note attached to the dress, reserved for the best of occasions. As
suggested, I resolved never to wear it to any ordinary occasion and reserved
it for this just one occasion.
Here, I was dressed in my regalia, standing in the
stead of what could be called “splendor”. The doors opened before me and I saw subjects standing in honor to welcome me into the presence of the
King. They were so many including children and women.
I took a step towards the door. And then...
I fell flat on my face.
I looked back and I saw this thing that held me by the
garment.
“The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another; and his humblest hour is when he compares the volume as it is with what he vowed to make it”... James Matthew Barrie
“The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another; and his humblest hour is when he compares the volume as it is with what he vowed to make it”... James Matthew Barrie
Can you connect with any discouraging moment in recent
times? If you can’t, I can. Year after year, purring scholarship sites have become a
great hobby. I remember my regular routine. After noting deadlines, I spend
countless hours, even spreading into months, preparing applications. But one
after the other, all I did get in recent years for each of them was a countless “we
are sorry, you were not successful this time, reapply” note. This was
a horrible phase of life. I've gone through similar things with job applications,
business proposals and many other great ambition.
We all go through down-turning times, so edgy, dark
and limiting. To show love to someone and get nothing in return. To show
kindness and be brutally rewarded. To turn in applications and receive bundles
of disappointing replies, that’s if you ever get a response. It makes you want
to quit, throw in the towel and scream, ‘Now What!’ How about doing everything
right and still be perceived wrong? How do you cut off failure, a friend, you hate so
badly? No short cuts! We all go through disappointing times.
But the thing is, when
you are held by the garment by discouragement, you have two options really. 1.
To turn to see discouragement and blame everything that caused you to fall flat
on your face. 2. To turn to see perseverance and see an opportunity to rise
again. You should realize a fact about failing people. They are not people who
failed. They are people who get stuck failing. Although, not actually defeated,
they quit. They are people who stopped seeing light in the tunnel and give up
reasons to hope.
'1 Samuel 30': David was held by the same. He had zealously gone to
conquer, but to return home to realize that his entire household had been taken captive.
His city was burned with fire. It’s like having dreams shattered at the peak of
the mountain, hopes dashed at the nearest breakthrough. To you, it could be disappointing news from an intending marriage partner. To another, it
could be meeting failure at the peak of a career. To some, it could be a marriage at the verge of break up, after so
many years of perseverance and pain. To others, it could be loosing a loved at a point unexpected. For sure, discouragement comes to us in diverse ways. It is
not solved by ignoring or becoming fixed to them either.
David and his people cried until strength parted with
them. Tears seem no more. More importantly. David saw the anguish of his
subject and saw anger first hand as they spoke about stoning him. How bad can
this get? But David did a few things right:
1. He encouraged himself in the Lord.
When discouragement hit you hard in the face. Find just that last strength to
hope in God.
2.
He turned to God. When strength
fails, where else do you turn? Do you turn into your problems for solace. You
need to turn only to a source of encouragement. People would suggest, see a
therapist, talk to a friend, see your banker, talk to your parent, find a
community group to volunteer. Na! If no one fits the shoes. God does.
3.
He asked the right question. The
first few things we are inclined to do in the face of discouragement is to turn
into negative confessions. “Things are not working out” “It’s just hard for me nowadays” “The recession is hitting me hard”. Quit self-negative talk. Stop
listening to yourself, talk the right thing to yourself.
4.
He had the right attitude and
expectation. The problem was not the men who want to stone David It was not
the heat of the moment. It was seeing them as the problem. I remember my usual
phrase, “Today shall pass”. This too shall pass. It’s just part of the trouble
of the day, but another day will break out on the morrow.
5.
He surrounded himself with the
right people, about four hundred men, who were not cumbered by loads of disappointment. Study successful people, not success stories only.
6.
He did good to those who did him
wrong. We get clouded in anger when we are discouraged that we miss the very
opportunity of life. We often hear, "I cannot let any man break my heart again." "All men are the same". What if closing your eyes to good meant failing for life?
The next time you
get held by
the garment, remember to take the right decisions and you will better for it on
the long run. It’s called the game of persistence against discouragement.
This is a blessing to me... Strength to move on
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