Gotta keep pumping those legs!

Over a month ago I was meeting with one of my friends here at the house and we began talking about how difficult it seems sometimes to actually know how to take (feel free to insert other words like use, apply, accept, recognize, etc) the help we request from God. I've continued thinking about that off and on this whole time and think I've at least worked out a few issues I was having before. Let me share as you might be interested.

Basically the challenge stems from this: when we have hard times (you did know that missionaries don't lead these fun-filled, problem-free, Mary Poppins-style lives, right?!) we are told by Jesus himself that we can always turn to him for help, comfort, rest. The turning to him part doesn't always seem to be too tough. I know that when the pressures of the world come a-knockin' I feel like the safest place to be is standing in front of God asking for help through whatever challenge I am facing. "But what comes next?" you ask.

I was laying in bed the other night trying to overcome that night's challenge...falling asleep...and found myself considering this issue again. For some of you maybe this is spiritual milk. But honestly, for me, this has been a problem. It presents itself as I described in the spiral staircase post...when things happen, you spiral downward, and then find yourself struggling to walk back upstairs (to get yourself back together in terms of attitude, actions, etc). It's hard during any struggle to actually figure out how God is helping and then how to put that help into use. Does that make sense? I sure hope so because I'm not sure I can do a much better job describing those thoughts.

Anyway, laying in bed I started thinking of different metaphors for this problem in life. I thought about the movie Friday Night Lights, specifically the last stand in the big state championship game. The QB was running the ball toward the end zone and hit a wall of flesh known as the opposing team's linebackers. After struggling to stay on his feet for a bit many of his teammates crashed in behind him and began pushing him, supporting him as he kept his legs moving toward his goal. [Ok, I know...he didn't make it. Leave that part off as it's not too helpful in this metaphor!]

This scene really helped me as I was thinking through this issue. You see, often when I hit the wall I call for support and then just fall down, expecting the support to do the job for me. In falling down, I give up and basically fail. And I think this is the big problem! Instead of just giving up, I believe God brings the support in...the push to support and encourage me onward toward me goal...expecting that all the while I'm going to keep my legs pumping, while I keep moving with all of my energy toward the goal!!

This is an encouragement for me. Maybe it's something you've had figured out for a long time. Maybe not. Bottom line is that life is hard for all of us. But I think we can have success in this "game" if we can learn to know when to call for backup, how to support each other better, and never stop pumping our legs!!