I remember seeing this movie once where a man is running in a heat to make the olympic team. Somewhere along the way he gets tripped up and falls down. As a viewer you take in the agony of the moment. All of the hopes he had for winning or even placing in the race are dashed to pieces. Even if he gets up, everyone is so far ahead that he will never make it. His dream for thy olympics is over… Or so you think.
You see it’s not how you start or even how you run that determines success in a race. It’s how you finish. Races are peculiar that way. You can have a great start, great form and finish last. You can also have a rough start, even fall down along the way, but still finish well.
I guess that is the point of this post. You made some New Year’s resolutions and right about now you have already fallen off the wagon or at least your feeling the temptation to quit. Breaking into a new routine is harder than you thought is would be. You’ve tasted failure and now you’re ready to give up.
Don’t believe that you must be a failure. You had a bad start. Get over it, get up and finish. Nobody cares that you’ve fallen except that little voice in your head and people who have already given up themselves. Finish the race. The year isn’t over, It’s really just started, you have plenty of time to make up lost ground.
Oh yeah… and that guy who fell down. He got back up and won the heat. Check out the clip below from the movie “Chariots of Fire.”
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susielindau
January 13, 2012 at 04:27
I am hanging in there, but I am a week behind everyone since we went out of town to visit family after New Years.
If I am still at this pace next week, I will have really set my stride!
Great post!
anthonymagro
January 13, 2012 at 09:06
Well said Pastor J. We each need to find the fortitude to continue getting up despite adversity. Who we are is not a direct reflection of our behaviours.
If your goal is smoking and you have one casual cigerette at work, that doesn’t mean you are a smoker again. It means get off the wagon and learn… next time you are in a social situation at work you now know that you might fold under peer pressure so don’t hang out with that circle, bring some chewing gum or find another way to avoid smoking.
Cross
January 13, 2012 at 09:37
The end more important than the start. Beautiful. Ilike
auredhead
January 13, 2012 at 13:41
Excellent! I enjoy reading your posts. They are motivating and positive. Katherine
Cross
January 14, 2012 at 17:53
Just to add, when things don’t go as expected (with goals in view) read the Expected @ http://tinyurl.com/7kg7cas
theneowriter
January 26, 2012 at 19:02
I like your posts, but haven’t posted for a while. Guess you’re giving up that “Blog 3x a week” resolution?
pastorjonathan1
January 26, 2012 at 20:00
yes and no. I haven’t posted anything here, but I have been posting almost daily over at http://www.newtestament90.wordpress.com
I’ve been finishing up some work and hope to have five posts set up for next week.