None of us like
to be stopped from accomplishing our desires. We want healing, promotion, better
relationships, and so forth; we want them now. Yet, we can still be consoled
by these facts:
- There’s usually a purpose when things don’t happen in our time and way.
- Most trials are temporary.
We’re bound
to run up against roadblocks many times. Some of them will be little pebbles,
and some of them will be huge boulders. Since challenges are a part of life,
here are some positive ways to look at them:
Barriers are eventually moved out of our way.
Janet
This friend
had a supervisor who was continually watchful and critical. She felt pressed
down and unappreciated. Recently, Janet was transferred to another building in
the same company. She feels relieved.
Me
As is common,
I have also worked with several disapproving people. In time, either the
co-worker left, or I was able to move on.
We’re stopped for our own good.
The Physical Barrier
A young man
walked onto a beach. He planned to surf. He noticed a group of young men
standing around on the shore with surfboards. The surfers were agitated, and
they were gesturing towards the ocean.
When the
newcomer asked what the problem was, the young men pointed to a barrier a ways
off in the water. It was keeping the big waves from coming all the way to
shore. The reason for the barricade was a mystery. All they knew was that it
seemed to be blocking their fun.
These were
hard-core athletes. They had travelled far to ride the big waves, not the small
ones. Surely, precious time and money had been wasted.
Another man
came up to the group. He inquired about the cause of their agitation. When the
young men explained the predicament, he silently passed a pair of binoculars
around the circle of friends.
Now, each
person could see sharks swimming just beyond the barrier. The barricade they thought was holding them back was actually saving
them from injury—or even death.
The Store
When I was
first married, my husband owned a small store. I also worked there. We were
comfortable in our positions. Neither of us appreciates change of any kind. We
ignored many warning signs that the business would not last. Finally, it came
to the point where we were forced to sell the store. It was only losing money.
We were
blocked from continuing to run that business, but we went on to bigger and
better opportunities. We have had less stress through the years, since my
husband has moved on from being a struggling entrepreneur.
I’m not preaching against becoming a small
business owner. Everyone must make their own choices. I’m just saying that my
husband was supposed to move on.
My Conclusion
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken
hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward
what is ahead. I press on toward the goal for which God has called me
heavenward in Christ. Jesus.”—Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)
If you think
like me, you dwell on the past. You feel you’ve been stopped from doing what
you want. You may even consider that you’ve missed your destiny because of the
many obstacles you’ve faced.
On the other
hand, we can all clear up our vision. We can focus on moving forward instead of
living backward.
It’s
important to realize that the purpose of obstacles is not always to annoy us
and stop us forever. Sometimes, they protect us. Often, they are temporary.
Please see more on overcoming barriers in my book. Click here: Accept no Trash Talk: Overcoming the Odds.
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How are you progressing despite “barriers”?
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