It's Not Over: Move Past Disappointment & Dream Againনমুনা

Resistance

I live in New Hampshire, which is a short distance to the Atlantic Ocean and about an hour from the White Mountains. There are days when Jennifer, my boys, and I hike a mountain in the morning and drive to the ocean for a swim in the afternoon. Mount Washington dominates the White Mountain landscape, dwarfing the other peaks with the highest altitude on the East Coast. It stands like a king in the heart of the Presidential Range. There are three ways to reach the 6,289-foot summit of Mount Washington: by steam locomotive, by car, and by foot. I was a teenager the first time I took the auto road to the top, and I’ll always remember the incredible views and the force of the wind. I still enjoy driving to the summit and watching as tenacious hikers crest the peak, smiling and raising their hands in triumph. I love the long-standing tradition in which people cheer for the hikers as they crest the summit. I hiked Mount Washington for the first time in 2015, and let’s just say it’s more difficult than driving. It was exhausting! Hiking the trail created a lot more resistance than going by car, and I kept asking myself why I was literally walking up a mountain when I could enjoy a leisurely drive to the top. But as I approached the summit, my attitude changed with the altitude. When I stared at the magnificent views, the pain in my legs felt noble. The cool air on my face felt like a well-earned prize, and I welcomed it gladly. When I finally made it to the top and heard all those lazy car-driving, train-riding people cheering at my arrival, I asked myself why anyone would ever drive a car or take a train up a mountain. In other words, increasing the amount of resistance I experienced while working toward the goal made the achievement of that goal much sweeter and more memorable. The same can be true as we chase our God-sized dreams—when we recognize resistance for what it is and use it as motivation rather than a source of fear, we can sweeten both the pursuit of our goals and the achievement of them. I don’t know how your experiences line up with mine, but maybe even today you’ve faced resistance, either from people or from circumstances. Maybe you’re feeling discouraged and you’d like to give up chasing after your dreams. Maybe you know exactly what I mean because that’s what life feels like at this very moment. If any of those are true, don’t give up! Resistance is normal. It has always stood between the now and the future when it comes to chasing after your God-sized dream. But it’s temporary. And it can make you stronger if you choose to keep going. It’s time for you to choose to continue pushing forward. Because when you do, the very resistance that threatened to kill your dream and derail your future will instead become a source of strength that advances you toward a greater tomorrow.

Prayer

Father, today I commit to not being stuck in the resistance I have faced and will face. I choose to chase the dreams You have placed inside of me and I trust you to turn that resistance into the very thing that propels me forward. Thank You for the dreams You have given me, and I ask You today to give me the strength to chase them passionately in spite of anything that may come in my path as I do! Amen.

Respond

What resistance have you faced in the past? Is it a person, an object, a choice - what is it that has stopped you from going after your biggest dreams? 

What dreams or hopes for tomorrow have you given up because the pain of resistance is too strong? Name the things you believe God is calling you to go after right now and ask God to help you go after them with renewed vigor.

What can you do today to prepare for and expect resistance to your dreams in the future?