“Unless the Lord had helped me, I would have settled in the silence of the grave. I cried out, “I am slipping!” But your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me. When doubts filled my mind your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.” Psalm 94: 17-19 (NLT)
Productive effort not only takes the ability to properly manage time by not wasting it through cheap talk and focusing on solutions instead of excuses (previous 2 blogs), but it takes the ability to handle setbacks.
The longer I live, the more I realize that effectively handling setbacks is the cornerstone to putting forth productive effort. Those of us who can view setbacks as nothing more than setups for future growth have the ability to get back up, wipe ourselves off, learn from the setback and continue to forge ahead. I know many people who have allowed setbacks to paralyze their dreams and goals for a lifetime and it almost happened to me.
The biggest setback I’ve had to deal with in my life, was the news that my second child was fighting for his life 12 hours after he was born “normal” and would subsequently be developmentally disabled his entire life…if he lived. I handled this setback like any good alchoholic/addict; I drank and drugged until it almost killed me…which was my second biggest setback.
As I look back on that period in my life, when I was losing everything I had worked so hard to get, and suicide seemed like the only answer; I am totally blown away when I think of where I am today…”I’m not worthy” is the phrase that comes to mind.
What got me through those major setbacks over 23 years ago? Well I’m glad you asked. It was God. As I was contemplating taking my life, I turned to God in a state of desperation and said the most powerful prayer known to man, “God help me!”
Since that day, I’ve not let go of God. The Psalm above, written by David, fit my life on August 8, 1987 and it still holds true for me today.
Today I use God as a first, second, third, fourth and fifth resort. I ask Him to guide me on my journey of achieving my dreams and goals and then when a setback takes place I trust He allowed it to happen and then I ask him for direction on how to handle the setback and then I move on.
One thing we must never forget is the fact God is with us when we are on the top of mountains and God is with us when we are in the muck of the creekbed in the valley of the mountains. The key is to stay tapped into His strength no matter what is happening and the sooner we get up, wipe ourselves off, draw enlightenment from the setback, and begin climbing again, the sooner we are introduced to bigger and more beautiful mountains and in turn we find ourselves on more of a continuous climb where what used to be valleys are only dips in the path to the mountaintop.
The two biggest setbacks in my life have introduced me to “mountains” with opportunities and glorious views that I know are not humanly possible. I am grateful for those setbacks, but most of all I am grateful for an awesome God who helped me when “I was about to settle for the silence of the grave.”
Remember God is with you no matter where you are in your life. The key is asking Him for help early and often.
P.E.A.C.E.
Jay @EagleLaunch.com
