I will not Flop Down!

Good Morning Dear Friends,

The other day I sat watching my boys play. They were shooting the basketball on their little tikes junior hoop. My middle son was becoming frustrated that his shots weren't going in. He plopped on the floor and began screaming, "I can't do it, it's too hard." I moved towards him and began encouraging him to keep trying and that I would help him. He continued to stay on the floor and tried to shoot from the floor, still winning and saying he couldn't do it. I explained to him, "Babe you won't be able to do anything flopped on the floor, but if you get up I can help you and show you, and we can keep trying together."

Later as I reflected on that moment, I was convicted by my son's reaction to the situation and was reminded of the many times I "flopped down" in frustration when life got hard. In my faith journey it has often been easy to fall into a mindset that harm won't befall me and that life will be nothing but prosperous. Yet that's very opposite of what the scriptures remind us.

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”John 16:33

3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger. 1 Corinthians 6:1-5

For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 1 Peter 3: 17-18

Now what? Well of course we're faced with a choice. We can choose to flop down and give up or we can get up with the faith of the promise that something greater and stronger is within us, is in fact true. "If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." (John 14:15-18). We can believe that this guidance will keep us focused, encourages us, and lead us through our darkest of valleys.

What will you choose today?

Psalm 23:4

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,[a] I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Abundantly With Love,

The Anonymous Wife