Don't Stay Down: You can Get Back Up!
While outside I watched a bumble bee land on its back on top of my trash can. This bumble bee squirmed and struggled to flip over. It was trying its best to wiggle its wings and launch on its legs to fly. Watching this, I suddenly caught myself silently cheering this bug onward. I really did! It looked so pitiful. “Come on, you can make it!” I wanted to shout, but it was giving up. In the next few seconds it moved in what seemed to be slow motion. Then it didn’t move anymore. The trouble it found itself in had kept it down.
Don’t let trials and trouble get you down. Don’t give up on your dream. Don’t give up on your life. When life knocks you out and you feel as though you’re down for the count, remember, “Since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us” (see Hebrews 12:1).
Wiggle Out of It
We all fall on our backs at times. Every one of us has problems, some worse than others. Life is difficult. Storms come. Some storms bring disasters. And we all struggle to get victory over issues or circumstances. Many may need a miracle to get over them. So what do you do when you need a miracle?
You wiggle out of it!
Wiggle to me is using the guidance and direction God gives us to work our way out of things. With every fight that’s inside of you, stand firm in your conviction that says “greater is he who is in you than he that is in the world.”
The truth is if we really believe God is our helper and that He’s willing to help us no matter how we fall, or what situation we’re in, then we have no reason to worry or get overwhelmed. And we surely don’t have to let trials and trouble keep us down.
Empower Yourself
The French psychologist, Emile Coue’ used to say to himself one hundred times a day, “Every day in every way, I’m getting better and better.” You can empower yourself by thinking, talking and acting in the manner consistent with the person you want to be and with the desires and dreams you most want to have.
Research shows that you forget over ninety percent of everything you hear once in about twenty-four hours. But if you hear the same thing repeated fifty to one hundred times over a period of time, you tend to remember it. By this you can encourage and empower yourself using the word of God, your own motivating words, knowledge and imagination in a positive and purposeful way, instead of waiting for your circumstances and environment to get better. As I said earlier, storms are inevitable. Don’t lay and wait for the storm to pass but rather learn to work in the rain.
David encouraged himself in the Lord by rehearsing over and over in his mind how he slayed the bear and lion (1 Samuel 17:36). He knew Goliath was no match for what he was capable of accomplishing. When you see yourself achieving a goal in your mind often enough, you begin to believe that you can achieve it in real life.
Get up and fight for your life.
Don’t Stay Down Like the Bubble Bee
David did not stay down on his back when his camp was attacked and his two wives were taken (See 1 Samuel 30). The Bible does not say God encouraged David or a prophet appeared to encourage David. He took one-hundred percent responsibility for his comeback. When it comes to the situations you are facing, no matter how difficult, you have a choice about what and how you feel in the situation. You have a choice about how you will go through and experience your situation.
Your emotional experience during a test is not determined by the situation. It is determined by you. In other words, you are in total control. Catch this.
Push, press and plunge yourself on your feet. Get some distance between yourself and the negative, life-choking emotional state you find yourself in. Talk to yourself out loud about what and how you are feeling as if you are talking to another person. You can say, “Self, I know that you are feeling down right now. That's understandable given what you are going through. But Self you must remember, you have a choice. What you are feeling right now is but one choice out of the many you could feel. And remember Self, God is your strength and help. He has delivered you in the past and He will deliver you again.
“So Self, get up off your back and flourish!”
If this article has touched your heart, please let me know about it by adding a comment below or emailing me at dm@eewmagazine.com
5 Comments
Reader Comments (5)
Yes Dr. D!!!! This is powerful!!! I have been working on my thought life b/c I get in a negative pattern of thinking and end up in a funk. I have been training my mind by meditating on God's word and positive reading materials. It starts in the mind.
Awesome, super, wonderful analogy of the bee! I was just reading an article about the bumblebee and how it's not supposed to be able to fly but it can anyway. This just puts it all in a whole new light for me. I love it. ( Here's the article linke just in case you're curious http://phys.org/news160930969.html)
Yes Stacy, as a man thinks so is he. Keep working at it. Your thoughts and words determine the direction of your life!
Warmly,
DD
Casey,
Thank you for sharing the link. So glad this article has opened your eyes!
Warmly,
DD
What a wonderful article¨!! This truly motivated me! sometimes it's easier for me to give that motivative advice to others and than to myself, so I loved the idea of talking to myself as if I were talking to someone else! It puts it into great perspective! :) God Bless