Any athlete that trains hard and wants to develop to her
ultimate potential welcomes the opportunity to have her skills challenged at
the next level. She doesn’t shy away from
the next big competition or a well-known team that is sure to put her level of play
to the test.
The World Cup just gave us a remarkable show of this. Teams brought together the cream of the crop
players. Beautiful, new stadiums, crazy
decked-out fans and the highest level play imaginable on the planet caused
millions to tune in. Some teams rose to
the occasion with shining moments of victory.
Others experienced devastating defeats along their journey. But all took the challenge and in doing so,
saw where their strengths were and where they still needed development.
It’s the same in our daily lives. Those of us who are striving to grow into our
highest potential recognize that our character and inner strength can only be
shown when we are given a tough challenge.
How can we know if we have grown and mastered a lesson if we haven’t had
the opportunity to demonstrate it?
The fierce struggles that come our way are immensely
purposeful. They are opportunities to be
celebrated. They allow us to experience
ourselves in a new way. They show us how
far we have come and how much further fine-tuning we need to do.
And, in the midst of it all, we are supported and guided and
helped in every situation. God’s grace
flows to us, refreshing us in the heat of the test. We are given a second wind when things go
into an over-time situation when our legs start cramping and we still have to
finish the game in world-class style. As
we relax our minds and allow our creative inspiration to flow through us as we
play the game of life, we can be amazed in those final shoot-out moments how
the ball gently glides off our foot and into the net, scoring in a way that
makes the crowds in heaven cheer us on louder than they ever have before.
Stand strong. Rise
up. Meet the current set of challenges
in your life with a smile, with an excitement, with a joy. You are being given a new field of play in
which to try out your life-skills and in which to demonstrate the depth of
wisdom you have already cultivated. At
the end, whether you have lost or won, you will have played your heart out and
you will see how far you have come and how far you have yet to grow.
This week I join with each of you on the field of life. Yes, my heart is pounding as this new
challenge comes my way but I know that this new difficulty can and will bring
out the best of me if I flow in the moment and allow the wisdom and grace of God to infuse me.
With all my love,
Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.
