It’s summer and the season when many sports come into their own. There’s the tennis at Wimbledon, rugby in New Zealand, cricket at Lord’s and even the London 2017 World Championship in Athletics taking place in August, something to tickle everyone’s fancy so to say.
Our individual life journeys are often likened to one sport or another.
Your Life as a Sport
Do you envision life as some form of team sport where you bounce around with your team members everyone contributing their unique abilities till ultimately the winning goal is scored?
Many assemble on that fine June or July day to see the opposing team humbled and your side erupting into the victory song that will stay with you for many many days. What the crowd often fail to remember is the gruesome training the team members undergo, years and years of sweaty practices, coaching that seems way too harsh and some colleagues who fall by the wayside their hopes dashed.
Is athletics your thing, you go through life like an Usain Bolt sprint. Life must be fast, it must be furious; you must be at the forefront of everything. The first to get the latest gadget, play the latest game, watch the film premiers and meet the stars. For you the end justifies the means, you coming out on top is all that matters. You may have to push, shove or kick, but my jolly you will be at the centre of the photograph if only for a few fleeting moments.
Just one question, at the very end of the day, will the bad name, the bastardised reputation really be worth it?
Sport did I say, you feign a chin scratch, you’re not really into sport, pressed further you come up with marathon. Yea, why not “slow and steady” win the race or so they say. Really! The only race the slow and steady win is the snail race and even then there might be the over ambitious snail who makes a dash for the finish and beats you to the line.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that life is all about the sprint finish, I don’t and will never believe in the end justifying the means, but if you spend life looking out the window wondering what could have been you will never reach the finish line.
Challenges vs Problems
You need some oomph, some gumption, some motivation, something to spur you on when the going gets really tough, and it will do, trust me.
Sometimes I look at life like the hurdles race, I know I’m not the first; I didn’t invent this particular wheel but bear with me.
You start out at the beginning, everyone does, the whistle is blown or the gun goes off and you’re on your way. Be grateful for that start, some never saw the sun rise and others spent their formative years in and out of hospital, but the Lord was gracious to you and you joined your peers as the race of life began.
No sooner than the race started than you came in contact with the first hurdle, in life we often call them challenges. Some call them problems, a Mount Everest and immediately limit their ability to surmount the hurdle. We will refer to them as challenges and by the grace of Almighty God we will overcome every challenge, every obstacle.
Do the Circumstances of Your Birth have to Determine Your Future?
You were not born into a wealthy family you were born on the wrong continent, in the wrong month and definitely in the wrong year. You didn’t get an iPhone for your first birthday, no bicycle when you were five. Your parents didn’t send you to the latest trendy school in town, you didn’t go to university abroad and you didn’t get a BMW for your graduation present.
No, unfortunately you didn’t graduate, heck, you didn’t even finish high school, did I say parents with an ‘s’ what are those? You had a Mum who tried her best but the struggle was too much she succumbed when you were eight; you went to live with an Aunt who really didn’t care.
Life has dealt you lemons and you’ve decided to frame them, put them on display, you have a sob story for anyone who cares to listen. You’ve decided to fall at the first hurdle.
Well that’s easy for me to say, I’ve not had to live your life. That’s very true, not even twins live the exact same lives there will be some differences, we are all different with different experiences. The fact that we tend to smile, hug, backslap and wish our friends and family a happy new year on the 1st of January each year doesn’t necessarily mean we are actually happy to be welcoming in a new year.
I remember one particular birthday a few years ago that I literally balled my eyes out. 50 years but precious little to show for it. “Shattered dreams, wounded hearts and broken promises…” or words to a similar effect the song writer sings.
Inspiration for the Journey
What to do? When life deals us lemons we need to take those lemons and make lemonade, if there are enough off them we can even use them to scale the hurdle and get some respite as we continue in the race.
Yes, we will encounter disadvantages, perceived discrimination or lack of “luck”; we never seem to be in the right place at the right time, we are always pushed over or left out, seemingly.
Or maybe like a colleague of mine once said we need to “make our own luck”. Starting with hard work, being where we are supposed to be when we are supposed to be there, putting in the hours, the commitment, the dedication, the willingness to start on the lowest rack and work our way up.
As one speaker said ‘John’s’ overnight success was ten years in the making, maybe more.
Dearest friend, there will always be hurdles in life, life is the hurdles race. You overcome one challenge, breathe a little, rejoice a little, enjoy a little and then you’re faced with the next challenge and more often than not it’s a bigger challenge.
Stories abound of people who had to overcome hundreds of challenges before they got their light bulb moment, just ask Thomas Edison. The key that unlocks every door is ‘Don’t Give Up!’
Jesus said in the world we will have tribulations otherwise known as troubles, misfortunes, problems, trials, sufferings, pains… but He said we should be of good cheer for He has overcome the world.
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16 verse 33
I urge you align yourself with the all-knowing God, the Omniscient and He will enable you to not only scale every hurdle but ultimately be a winner in this race called life and remember – Quitters don’t win and Winners never Quit!!!
See you soon, LolaA 🙂
thejesusgeneration 
Comments on: "Hurdles" (2)
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This is so so true. Thanks for posting.