There are times when I feel like a thousand armies are descending upon me, and that death is knocking at my door. Sometimes I just want to let go and give it all up. But then I think about my sons, my marriage, the ministry I serve in, and all the generations coming behind me. My mindset shifts from giving up, to feeling like if it's a fight my enemy wants, it's a fight he's gonna get!
No matter how dark it gets, as long as there is breath in my body, I'm going to keep fighting the battle. Come hell or high water, I'm not backing up until the negativity breaks! Winston Churchill once said, "I like a man that smiles when he fights." I laugh at the pressure and smile at the blows that think they will knock me to my knees!
How will YOU fight in the shade?
23 June 2009
22 June 2009
From the movie 300
The Acadian: We are doomed!
The Captain: Quiet yourself!
If I ever want to hype myself up, I'll sit down and watch the movie 300. There are so many awesome examples of how to wage warfare in that movie, it's just RIDICULOUS.
Yet one scene is often overlooked in the movie. As the Spartans and Acadians are marching towards the Hot Gates, they encounter a village that has been ravaged by the Persian army. The Acadian, in a state of shock, awe and paralyzing fear stated, "We are doomed!" The captain, an adept warrior quite used to scenes like this rebuked him and said, "Quiet yourself!"
There are times when our circumstances knock a pause in us. If we allow the shock and awe of the situation to paralyze us, our knee jerk reaction will automatically be, "We are doomed!"
But I want to challenge myself as well as anyone else reading this article to quiet yourself when difficulties ambush you like thieves in the night. Learn how to be still and know that all will be well if you keep moving. Learn how to fight and press through the circumstance, because it's much more difficult to hit a moving target.
How can a person gain this inner calm? Well, a relationship with God doesn't hurt. I pull out a verse of scripture and play it over and over again in my mind until that scripture becomes my reality, not my current circumstance. Additionally, exercise, a good laugh, a game of scrabble, ANYTHING (legal) is better than allowing the circumstance to paralyze you with fear!
The conversation in 300 was between two different people, but that inner dialog takes place in my mind all the time. In order for me to quiet myself, I have to shut the panicking part of myself up!
How will YOU quiet yourself this week? Have you ever had to shut your butt up and allow the better part of you to take over? Tell me about it!
