Lurking in the woods you will find your enemy. Prepare for him.
Everybody knows Tiger Woods: I think. There is a tenacity about the way he prepares for his work. Golf is his work. He takes the game of golf seriously. We all need to do the same with our ideas about eternity. Golf is not forever, eternity is.
During all the time that I have lived in this life I have faced situations that have had me down for the count more times than I care to remember. Times when I thought I was as spiritual as I could possibly be, I failed as miserably as I have ever failed.
In the process of raising a family I have looked at my children and thought that things are pretty good, only to be awakened when I have found out that they have just committed some major infraction which was tantamount to treason.
I have gone to work consistently over the many years of my life. On some of those days I have received commendations on a job well done, only to find that maybe the next day I would make the kind of mistake that had me feeling so low that I thought that I would never recover.
I wonder, am I the only one who has these kinds of experiences. I really doubt it. I believe that you, you, and yes you; are in the same ballpark as I am. I feel that life is going to be just like that. Not ever day will be of the sort that I have made mention of, and that is a good thing. If ever day was as bad as some of the ones I have described, then I do not believe that I could endure life.
What is it that keeps us from going under till we cannot surface again? What is it that let's me smile again when I have been through a circumstance that has left me thinking someone has just shoveled in the last shovel full of dirt that is required to put up the poster: It is Finished. For a certainty. There is an answer.
I have watched Tiger Woods from the time that he came up from the amateur ranks of golf, to become one of the best player the game has ever seen. I have watched as he began his pro golfing career, to see his immaturity. I could see that he was going to be a good golfer, but he needed to add a little maturity to his game. Now, this ddid not happen over night. There are still times when he does not finish as good as he would like. I wonder, will he ever finish as good as he wood like? Tiger has extremely high expectation of himself. His dedication to golf is second to none: In my opinion.
When Tiger is in the woods, behind a tree, he usually still manages to pull off the shot, of all shots to keep himself in range for birdie or par. When Tiger is in a bunker, fifteen feet away from the pin, with his ball in an impossible lie, he most often lifts the ball from that uncomfortable position and places it six inches from the cup. These types of shots are not only lucky shots. From time to time luck is involved, but with people like Tiger and other pro's it is more than luck. It is a skill the is achieved because of a lot of hard work.
My message is this: I will never bounce back from the major disappointments in my life unless I have prepared for those times before hand. Being a Christian has been the stabilizing factor for me. I will not lead you to believe that I have had my faith extremely shaken at times, but it has not been demolished. Why is that?
If when I became a Christian I had never taken the time to read the word of God, and to pray, I would have been lost in the woods without hope of finding my way again. This is how I feel about it. If I had not spent many a day in the house of God to be refreshed and renewed, I would have been lost in the woods at night with no daylight on the horizon. These for me have been the preparatory thing in my life that have kept me from losing my way.
There's a tiger in the woods who wants to put us in a position where we are lost in the woods without hope. The Bible speaks of him as a roaring lion, seeking to devour us.
1 Peter 5:8 A Roaring Lion
Our defense will never be what we are able to do without God. My strength comes from Him who made heaven and earth. My strength comes from him who gave all he had to give to see that I would be able to stand the tests that would come my way, and be able to say: " My God is able." There is an enemy lurking in the woods to attempt to deter us from victory. The story of Pilgrims Progress is a very good illustration of this article that I am writing.
If you find that you are not recovering from your defeats, then consider reviewing some of the things that you are involved in. If need be, develop friendships that will help you. The responsibility is yours to seek help. The Bible is the source w all need to be victorious.
When the tiger creeps up on you, you need not be surprised, When you are in the midst of the battle it will seem impossible, but the Lord has promised to provide assistance.
Romans 8:37-39 I am persuaded
Never Give Up!
To be Continued: