Growth Week
"It cannot be too often repeated
that it is not helps, but obstacles,
not facilities, but difficulties
that make men."
-- William Mathews
Who doesn't have obstacles? Who doesn't have difficulties? When I was young, we all used to think that rich people had it made and had no obstacles or difficulties, that their lives were so smooth, but all you have to do is walk through the grocery store check out to see the multi-millionaires of fame with a list of troubles that would overcome most people. So, the good news about difficulties is that no one is immune.
The other thing about the tabloids is that some of those mega stars handle their troubles with dignity and optimism and others go off in tangents of blame and denial. As we do as well.
Since none of us are immune to trouble, the only thing that separates us at all then, is how we view them and how we choose to deal with them.
Many of us have a tendency to look upon difficulties with fear of consequences and even more fear of imaginary consequences, playing various scenarios in our head as we look at the dread in front of us. Personally, my favorite was blame. There was always someone more deserving than I and I was most happy to oblige.
I've had some very interesting changes in the last few years in that I don't get excited about difficulties. A better way to say it is that I don't fight them, struggle, or complain. Instead, I do my best to look upon them as a blessing, although I may not be able to see that so clearly at the time, yet it seems to always prove out to be the case. I'm here to tell you that this is a miraculous transformation in me and what's even better than this is that it is just plain fun.
In church, they like to say, "God is good. . . all the time." I sort of take that to heart and it appears to be a fact, provided I choose to embrace it.
"Difficulties Are The Things That Show What Men Are." -- Epictetus
Spread Some Joy Today--Take a brand new look at one or more of your difficulties. See them as blessings and be thankful for them. In time, you may even be joyous about them. What a difference. It takes the trouble right out of trouble. . .
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