Just Don’t Stop

3 Jul

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”  ~ Confucius

There are some things that come very easy for me.  I do not have to do a lot of planning or put a lot of effort into them and they just seem to happen.  Other things?  Well, they take considerable effort and energy and, sometimes, do not even get accomplished.  I think I am probably like everybody else in that regard.  We all have our fortes, and we all have our weaknesses.

Probably just like everybody else, I have often felt negative toward those who can do things easily that take me a lot of work.  As I struggle, I see them succeed and that little demon of envy comes in the picture.  Becoming frustrated, there are times I am tempted to give up.  Why should I try, I ask myself, if it takes me so long to do something poorly?

We have all been there.  We will all be there.  It is a part of human nature.  However, it is a part of human nature that our Lord asks us to rise above.  He wants us to give our all in order to take that next step toward His Kingdom.

It does not matter how many times we fail.  What matters is that we try again.  God is pleased with our effort.  He does not focus on our failure.  As long as we take that next step toward Him, we will be all right.

If there are others around you who are light years ahead of you in terms of your spiritual life, do not fret or fuss.  They are where they need to be and you are where you need to be.  And, you want to know something?  Those people, light years ahead of you, have the same concerns and feelings as you.  In comparison to you, they may appear to be far ahead.  Yet, as they compare themselves to others, they most likely find themselves lacking as they continue to strive and struggle.

Life is not clean.  Life can get down and dirty at times.  God does not care how we arrive on His doorstep.  We can be immaculately clean or we can be covered with mud.  The important thing to Him is that we made it there.  Do not give up.  Keep struggling.  Keep striving.  Keep taking just one more step.  Just, whatever you do, don’t stop.

FAITH ACTION:  Whether it be a huge leap or a tiny step, ask God to give you the grace to move ahead in your spiritual life today.