Day 16

For Though I Fall

Do not gloat over me, my enemies!  For though I fall, I will rise again

-Micah 7:8

Yesterday we talked about the importance of your thought life.  Mainly, the importance of the thoughts you hold about yourself.  I believe the sooner you see yourself as a conqueror, a fighter, and a finisher, you will see your actions line up with your thoughts.  This shift in thinking, along with the corresponding action, will bring you to new levels of success.  You will have unstoppable momentum.

Of course, not everyone will be happy about this.  The enemy of your faith will not like seeing you confident and courageous.  He is used to seeing you treat yourself harshly.  He used to hearing you mutter words of self defeat.  He is used to watching you get excited about new goals and then quit within a week or two.  He is used to seeing you live in despair and discouragement.  He is used to all of this.  He likes you that way.  He doesn’t have to do much to torment you- you do all the work for him! 

Imagine his frustration when he sees this new change in you.  He watches you day after day making good and healthy choices for yourself.  He watches you take time for yourself to exercise and plan good meals.  He sees you smile as you look in the mirror.  He hears you tell your girlfriends about the progress you are making.  He hears you confessing strength and power over yourself each day.  I imagine him sitting there on the floor like a child with his hands over his ears screaming “NOOOOOOOOOOO!”. 

You see, you just increased his workload.  Now he has to add you to his list of “Conquerors that need to be taught a lesson”.  Believe me, he will be relentless.  He will try to put those negative thoughts back in your head more than ever.  He will whisper things like “I can’t believe you are letting your kids watch tv just so you can work out.  How selfish is that?”  He will say, “Look at all of the laundry over there.  You don’t have time to work out.  You need to take care of your family.”  He will point out everyone who is more fit than you.  He will tell you that you do not belong in a gym (you do).  You have to “lose a few pounds” before you can work out in a gym (you don’t).  He will tell you everyone is watching you (they aren’t). Then he will point out every restaurant and vending machine you pass by.  Suddenly foods you never ate before will sound like delicious treats you will now never again be able to enjoy.  You will be bombarded with stimulus that takes you away from your plan.

Chances are, you will give in to one of his ploys along the way.  I don’t say this to scare you or to speak negatively into your life.  I say this because it is not the mistake that prevents you from reaching your goals.  It is what you do next that will determine your success. 

We all make mistakes.  We all have bad moments.  Talk to anyone who lives in victory and they will share with you countless stories of times they fell short, times they caved in, and times they wanted to quit.  What makes these people victorious is not their ability to be perfect, it is their ability to stay in the game.  Now I could give you the whole “Thomas Edison tried a bazillion times to do this and that until he succeeded” speech, but I am not going to.  I am not going to because you are surrounded by living, breathing examples of those who gave up, and those who stayed in the game.  I guarantee the quitter quit after a mistake, and the finisher got back up, with a stronger vision and more fight.  You will fall, the question is:  will you get rise again? 

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for your Word.  I thank you that you show me in your Word that if I fall short sometimes that does not mean I cannot reach my goals.  I thank you for the courage to rise again when I fall.  I thank you for giving me the eyes to see the enemy work against me.  I thank you for watching over me and giving me strength.  I ask you to help me complete the work I set out to do, even when I don’t feel like getting back up. In Jesus’ name, Amen.