"I can't change the direction of the wind,
but I can adjust my sails
to always reach my destination."
Jimmy Dean
Words of defeat can shred like shrapnel exploding from a tongue grenade. Maybe it is a barrage of nail of words penetrating to the soul to nail you down to a board of defeat. Feel like giving up, maybe, like a sailor without out a sail or a windless day getting you no where?
A King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock.
Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded.
After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse laying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.
The peasant learned what many of us never understand that every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition. Ever dealt with raw wood and try to make it into something beautiful? Sometimes you can get a splinter a sharp reminder of what you are dealing with when handling raw wood. Having the right tools makes the difference between building a beautiful house or a small wooden bowl.
Words are tools like tools to a pumpkin. They are light and sharp and carve an image into the softest parts. When our self confidence is low we sometimes tend to believe what others think of us. We do not have the confidence in ourselves to believe otherwise. You cannot expect to achieve new goals or move beyond your present circumstances, unless you change." Other people's opinion of you does not have to become your reality."
Positive thinking is a mental attitude that admits into the mind thoughts, words and images that are conductive to growth, expansion and success. It is an attitude that expects good and favorable results. A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful outcome of every situation and action. Whatever the mind expects. It finds.
A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead.
The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all of their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.
The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out.
When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.
This story gives us thoughts to think about:
1. An encouraging word to someone who is down can encourage them to achieve their goal.
2. A destructive word to someone who is down can have negative effects. Be careful of what you say.
Sometimes you feel like you are nailed by words. However, your attitude can cause a change in how to deflect the nails. Words are like The Snow may look smooth and soft, but the rocks underneath are sharp!" Are your words encouraging to others? Are your thoughts deaf to others penetrating nail of words?
Take a leap of faith and look to Him to provide the strength and wisdom. Remember, He was nailed for us to be released from the nails. Don’t be nailed with thoughts that hold you back from moving forward. It does not matter what your circumstances are at the present moment. Think positively, expect only favorable results and situations, and circumstances will change accordingly. It may take some time for the changes to take place, but eventually they do.
Another method to employ is the repetition of affirmations. It is a method which resembles creative visualization, and which can be used in conjunction with it. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. -2 Corinthians 10:5
