Fall seven times stand eight.
Japanese proverb.
Though the righteous man falls seven times, he rises again.
Proverb 24:16
Life is a continual series of challenges. And our attitude is the lens through which we determine whether we shall see the challenges as springboards or brick walls. The reality is that challenges will always face us. As long as one is living on this earth challenges will always find your address. When a rather naïve Job complained to God for the things he suffered, one of his friends reminded him that trouble is
common to man (Job 14:1). Year in, year out there will always
be a problem that will knock on our door. The most naïve assurance one can have is to assume that once a challenge has been overcome or a problem has been solved that that is the last time one will face it, or for that matter face any other challenge or problem. Those that assume so underestimate the tenacity of devils and the curse of humankind. They also misunderstand blessed assurance. Although the scriptures guarantee that the blessings of God do not add sorrow (Proverbs 10:22), this does not exclude the prospect of challenges in the blessing. Contesting a challenge need not robe one of joy. On the contrary, witnessing the opportunity for God’s deliverance can be a source of great pleasure and we can trust that the joy of the Lord shall be our strength (Nehemiah
83
8:10). Whether one will have pleasure or sorrow is dependent on their attitude.
It is a wrong attitude based on sheer naivety that caused the nation of Israel to curse God and die in the wilderness in the face of the challenges that stood between them and the Promised Land. In their naivety, they never expected that a land flowing with milk and honey would have any inhabitants. And so, having been delivered from the bondage of Egypt they never expected that they would meet any further challenges. When they did, they were not prepared. They complained and murmured against God as if to suggest that they deserved a problem-free promise (Numbers 14:1-4). It is amazing that while they were desperate to depart from the whiplash of their Egyptian taskmasters, they were nevertheless ill prepared for the challenges of confronting the giants that occupied the Promised Land. They did not appreciate that the same God that had delivered them from Egypt would lead them in conquest into the Promised Land. Unfortunately, too many saints seem to be like the Hebrews. They cry to God for deliverance but fail to trust Him in conquest. If you can cry, “Lord, by your power, get me out” I want you to know that you can also shout, “Lord, in your Name, I am going in.” This naivety of Israel cost them dearly. God was deeply frustrated by the ungrateful conduct of His people that He revoked His promise from them, saving it for another generation that had a different mentality (Numbers 14:22). A generation that would look at every challenge as a God- given opportunity to witness God demonstrates His power
84
to their benefit. This generation was the Joshua generation. They entered the land of promise not so much because it was promised but because they withstood the challenges of the land. They were steadfast and zealous to stand in the promise. No challenge was sufficient to frustrate their faith so much as to cause them to quit. As a result they were favored by God who fought their battles and gave them great victories (Joshua 23:9-11).
Attitude is a very principle value in any prospect. I agree with the anonymous person that convincingly declared:
Attitude is more important than facts. It is more important than the past,
than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than
what other people say or do.
It will determine whether we have joy or sorrow, whether we win or cower. One of the most amazing characters in the word of God is David. He was a man that had mastered his attitude. An amazing story is told concerning how at a young age he had gone to the battle field to deliver food to his brothers. Upon reaching them he observes the fear the army of Israel had in the face of the provocative boasts of the fiercest soldier of the enemy. Rather than join in the fear that possessed the Israel army, David saw the matter from a different light. He saw opportunity and asked what would be given to the man who would take on the fierce soldier (1 Samuel 17). While the rest were petrified by the risk of fighting this fierce soldier, David was prepared for the reward.
85
In the end, he was sufficiently motivated to overcome the giant in a classic battle that never left him the same again. The incredible legacy left behind by David and the Joshua generation for the church today is the profit of resilience, boldness and faith in God in the face of adversities. They teach us not to be naïve concerning the promises of God. I am sure they too had learnt these lessons from their father Jacob. They must have witnessed how in spite of the efforts and victories Jacob mastered by the grace of God yet he never quit when problems showed up following a recent victory. After surviving Laban’s fraud, Esau’s wrath, Isaac’s negligence, and Rebecca’s ill-counsel due to God’s assurances, nevertheless the patriarch continued to suffer various setbacks in his life. From the houses of his father and uncle to his own house Jacob struggled for victory. Even after God changed his name and blessed him, Jacob still continued to face challenges. He never had a break. From his superiors to his inferiors, Jacob continued to struggle till his death. In fact the latter problems of Jacob were even more serious than his earlier ones and yet he continued to trust in God through them all.
A more critical appreciation of those challenges in the patriarch’s life reveals the role they played in drawing him closer to God. Rather than loose trust in God, and in spite of his own faults, Jacob grew more in his confidence in God and His ability to transcend the steepest challenges. Jacob’s testimony bears the useful lesson concerning the promises and assurances of God. It demonstrates the fact that assurance from God does not tantamount to a problem-free
86
life. On the contrary, it provides the guarantee that whatever the challenge God is present to help you overcome it. And just in case you were contemplating the much hyped total PEACE, Jacob’s testimony is a practical account that tells you aluta continua, the struggle continues. And the good side to it is, the more the struggles the more the victories.