Don't focus on the mud.

Helen Keller once wrote: “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved.”

Often when I face challenging times, as I navigate through I forget that it is a journey and just want to get to the end.  I find myself doing this be it a good situation or bad.  Good, I want it now.  Bad, I want it now.

Like most I always hope to learn from my mistakes but sometimes we just get stuck in the mud preventing us from realizing our true potential. If we could focus not on what has already happened that we may not be able to change, but instead maybe on what we can change.  What can I do differently?  What can I focus on that would be in my best interest?

With that said I get stuck right in the middle sometimes paralyzed, sinking down in the mud feeling like I am torn between wanting to sink in it or reach up and have the hand of reason  God pull me out.  I Always want the hand of God to pull me out but I don't always act like I trust him to do so.

 For me the encouragement is this, every moment I can make a new choice.  That choice may take me to better moments or it may get me stuck in the mud but it is my choice.

Our successes (or I should say my) come in moments. What I mean is that if I have a rotten day I look back and find at  least one moment in that day that I can feel good about.  When I do that I often find more than just one moment and it does make the not so good moments less likely to feel like complete failures.

Sometimes getting stuck in the mud forces us to wash it off. A spiritual cleansing for me.  If I allow God to rescue me, and I rely fully on Him the mud becomes a little less restricting. Getting stuck and staying there, that is what can be painful.

I am going to try and not focus on the mud, but the hand that can save me.