True Determination

You can get to where you want to go; you may just have to get creative in how to get there.

Let me tell you a couple of stories.

I remember when I was about five years old. My mother worked as a dispatcher for a hospital in northern Iowa. One winter, we had a terrible snowstorm that resulted in fifteen-foot snowdrifts. In the late sixties, the dispatcher worked the switchboard for the entire hospital, so her job was crucial.

They told her that if she did not report to work, she would not have a job. Her job was important to her, so she found a way.

A man on a snowmobile sped up to our house. The snow was so deep that Mom had to crawl out a second-story window. She climbed on the snowmobile and hung on to his coattails. (I later found out he was a doctor from the hospital.) Of course, as a little girl, I thought it was exciting.

To me, it was an adventure. To Mom—a necessity.

Years later, I found myself in a similar predicament. This time, it wasn’t a snowstorm. My children were little, and my husband and I managed a motel in exchange for a place to live. I worked at McDonald’s to pay our living expenses.

Then our car wouldn’t start.

Again, I had to get to work on time or risk losing my job. One of my husband’s friends lived at the motel and offered me a ride—on his motorcycle!

It was cold, but we bundled up and climbed on.

So it goes with life. If we are willing to ride snowmobiles or motorcycles to make sure we have a job that puts food on the table, why don’t we put that same determination into finding out what God wants for our lives—and then living it?

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
—Matthew 6:33

The Real Killer

We’ve heard a lot lately about stress and how to deal with it. There are good stressors and bad stressors, along with plenty of advice on how to cope with both.

Struggle is inevitable. Life can be hard, and sometimes we add to our own stress by trying to handle everything ourselves instead of going to God.

But going to God doesn’t mean simply saying, “God, fix this,” and expecting the problem to disappear. Sure, He could fix it. But maybe there is something He wants us to learn along the way. Maybe there is healing we need, a lesson to learn, or perhaps even a miracle we would otherwise miss.

God may not always take away the struggle, but He will be with us through it. We don’t have to carry everything alone.

“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
—1 Peter 5:7

So, when you are feeling stressed, what are you going to do about it? Pray? Read Scripture? Get together with Christian friends who will encourage you and point you back to God?

The Question Is . . .

What am I here for? What am I supposed to do? Everyone else is successful, why not me?

Have you ever asked yourself these questions? Maybe you even answered them yourself:

What am I here for? Nothing.

What am I supposed to do? I don’t know.

Everyone else is successful, why not me? Because I always fail.

Negative self-talk can cripple us. Once we start thinking this way, one negative thought can easily lead to another.

But just because we think something doesn’t make it true.

We’re told that we need to pay attention to what we are putting into our minds and who we surround ourselves with. You may have heard that several times but don’t know where to start.

Start by looking for people who encourage you and strengthen your faith. Read encouraging books by Christian authors, such as Sportin’ a ’Tude by Patsy Clairmont. Watch uplifting movies like Facing the Giants and Flywheel.

Giving in to negativity is easy. Being positive can take work. But as Christians, we have more than positive thinking. We have God’s Word to remind us of what is true.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable…think about these things.”
—Philippians 4:8

One thing to keep in mind is that we can’t always wait until we feel positive before we do something. Sometimes we have to act on what we know is true regardless of how we feel.

Do you have a positive action plan for when you start to get down? It helps to have one ready for those negative times. Maybe your plan is to pray, get into God’s Word, or call a Christian friend who will encourage you. Whatever it is, decide now what you will do when those negative thoughts start creeping in.

Determination isn’t just about getting to work in a snowstorm or climbing on a motorcycle when the car won’t start. Sometimes it’s deciding that you aren’t going to let stress, negative thinking, or circumstances stop you from doing what you know you need to do.

That includes your walk with God. You may not always know exactly where you’re going or how you’re going to get there. But you can pray, get into God’s Word, and take the next step.

Sometimes determination is simply deciding not to quit.

Grab your journal and think about the times you gave up or stopped short. Write down a few of them. Now think about what might have happened if you had used your positive action plan during those times.

Would you have prayed? Turned to God’s Word? Called someone who would encourage you instead of giving in to those negative thoughts?

As you think about those times differently, do you feel a little determination rising within you? What will you do with it this time?