The Lord once told me to learn from the Rose flower. I took a little while to consider what He meant and I came to realise that LIFE IS A BED OF ROSES! How? Let me explain. The rose is one of the prettiest flowers ever to be seen on the face of the earth. I have been comforted from a lot of hurt just by sighting a rose in full bloom: it is that unique! The is a flower in a class of its own but God made the rose WITH THORNS. These thorns serve as a defence mechanism and saves the flower from rough hands and grabbing fingers. But the beauty of it all is simple: For the one who loves the rose, the beauty of the flower is compensation enough for the pains of the thorns while the pains of the thorns further enhance and emphasize the beauty of the flower. That's life. So when next you think all is lost and there is nothing worth living for, consider these:
1. SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE IS LOOKING UP TO YOU: There is (naturally) one little child or the other that considers you a hero. Nobody likes to appear weak before a child because we do not want them to grow with a misconception. No matter how much we cry, we try to put up a brave face and heart when one little child comes up to us to know why we are crying. If you won't take courage for anything else, remember your little son, daughter, brother, sister, cousin, nephew and niece or yet remember that little child in the orphanage looking for a reason to smile or that little child in the intensive care unit of the hospital, bravely battling Cancer and facing death with a smile on his face.
2. TODAY'S CHUMP CAN BE TOMORROWS CHAMP: There are many people in history, in the Bible, in life who faced situations where they almost gave up but got back from the brink in the nick of time and are today enjoying success. There is no genuine success story without a period of sadness and pain.Abraham Lincoln remains one of the finest ever American Presidents in history but he would not have had this place in history if he had given up in his trying times. Quitters never win and winners never quit. Are you a winner? Or a quitter?
3. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO REMEMBERED AS?: Even in death, nobody wants to be remembered with disgust and contempt. If Judas Iscariot had known that men would even hate the sound of his name (which by-the-way means PRAISE) and not permit their sons to bear such, he would have waited a while longer and reconsidered his inglorious exist strategy.
4. YOUR COURAGE CAN BE PUT TO BETTER USE: Those who are "brave" enough to take their own lives should ask themselves what the outcome would be if they channel such courage into resolving to succeed. Great men are not those who lie down and die when they face terrible times but those who look at other options to succeed. All the doors cannot close at the same time. If earthly doors are closed, look up to God and ask for His help. Believe me, He answers. When you think your life is over, turn it over to Him and see what God is like.
5. THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY OUT: Some people are indebted to the tune of unmentionable figures! There are those whose painstakingly built reputations are about to go down the drain because of a "little" mistake and others whose marriages are crashing after many years of faithfulness to their spouses. Wow! But I want to announce to you that there are people living today that had worse situations but are today smiling. They found a way out and because they are living witnesses, I know that there is a way out. What were their secrets? You can only find out if you courageously face your problems squarely and believe in yourself to succeed.
6. LEARN TO CRY OUT FOR HELP: Not everyone will pucker their faces and hide a sneer behind their hands if you open up and ask for help. Let us think about this thoroughly. Do you really think your life is useless? You and I know better! If you were useless, you never would have been born so cry out. Jabez in 1st Chronicles 4:9-10 cried out when the situation became unbearable and God heard him.
7. FORGET THE FAILURE AND FOCUS ON THE FUTURE: Actually, this should have been the first item but I put it last because I felt it was better this way. Your future is bright irrespective of the present situation. While there is life, there is hope and as long as hope remains, a change must surely come - it is only a matter of time. What is your desire for your future? Is the challenge strong enough to truncate your own conviction about your future? I learnt that one of the ingredients that helps the Sunflower open up to the sun is the heat of the morning sun. Sometimes, that is what you need - a shot of adrenaline in form of a terrible situation; to bring out the Champion in you!
The tea bag on its own cannot be useful but when men want to make use of it, they dip it into hot water (sometimes scalding water) and that is when the tea bag shows the stuff it is made of. Don't drown in your sorrow - SHOW THEM THE STUFF YOU ARE MADE OF.
IT IS WELL WITH YOU.
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