In the African American Heritage hymnal you will find a song (Life’s Railroad to Heaven) with these words: You will roll up grades of trial; You will cross the bridge of strife;
See that Christ is your conductor On this lightning train of life;
Always mindful of obstruction, Do your duty, never fail;
Keep your hand upon the throttle, And your eye upon the rail.
“Grades of trial…bridge of strife…always mindful of obstruction.” One of the constants on the trail of life is Obstacles. Curves, twists, turns, difficulties, and uncertainties. This year the world has seen its share of uncertainty with the Coronavirus pandemic and all of its effects. Obstacles!
But obstacles in life is not new; it has always been a part of the human experience. How we deal with the obstacles of life is what matters. Here are some tips on how to turn your obstacle into an opportunity.
1. Acknowledge your obstacle. Admit that you have a challenge before you. Even Christians at times won’t do this. They think, ‘If I speak it I will see it.” Well, if you already see it then you don’t need to speak it; it’s there! Don’t be superficial about obstacles. The wrong diagnosis leads to the wrong treatment.
2. Ask for help. James 4:2 says, “You do not have because you do not ask God.” Reach up to God and out to others. Don’t let pride get in the way. The strongest amongst us got help from someone. Ask for help if you need it.
3. Attitude matters. Your obstacle is one problem; your pity party becomes another. Try to avoid the “woe is me!…why me?…where is God?!?” attitude. This weakens your resolve and make bad situations worse. Instead of asking “Why do bad things happen to good people?”, ask “How do good people go through, deal with, and overcome bad things?”
4. Action is needed. In many situations if you do nothing, you will get nothing. One of the greatest misstatements of life is the suggestion that time will take care of everything. The fact is, time is neutral and does not change anything. It is activity in time and over time that changes things. Therefore, when faced with an obstacle, take positive action. In Genesis 50:20 Joseph said to his brothers, “You intended this for evil but God meant it for good, for the saving of many lives.” With God’s help you can change the outcome of a bad situation, regardless of the original intent or the effect on your life.
5. Affirmation is necessary. Applaud your positive attitude and efforts to transform a challenging situation. Don’t wait until it’s all over; encourage yourself during the struggle. Philippians 4:8, "…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." Celebrate small successes along the way. Then throw a party when that obstacle becomes an opportunity that will make you stronger and better!
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