I get knocked down and I get up again

Yesterday when I was walking home from Church I saw two girls walking somewhere that sounded quite exciting with their Dad. One of them tripped over a piece of flat pavement (as you do) and then there was that pause as she decided whether she hurt or not. She hurt. She cried. Her Dad picked her up and then came the cry, 'I want to go home'.

I don't know what they did in the end but I would like to think that they didn't go home, that they carried on to the exciting place and they had fun.

Sometimes on my journey there have been times where I've thought, 'I want to go home'. Wouldn't it be easier if things were simple, if life decisions weren't sometimes painful. Wouldn't it be easier if someone would tell me what to do.

When we step out in faith it's not always easy and sometimes doors get slammed in our face or we fall over, we hurt all over and we feel like we want to curl up in a box.

Time to take a breath is good. Time to be comforted and encouraged is good. Then though, we need to pick ourselves up (often with more of God's strength), look for some Godly rationality, think about why we are here and where we are going and take that slow step forward.

I watched Run Fat Boy Run again last week. Dennis hobbles round a marathon. He's over half way round and he hits the wall. I love this clip because it is the support of friends, sheer determination and the hope of the destination that keeps him going. God's there bashing down our walls with us (if we'll let him).

As one of my lecturers at college said: "Keep on keeping on".


PS I am definitely not knocked down at the moment.......... in case you're worried!