The sweat starts to drip down my face even more as I slide across the hardwood. My eyes are focused and my confidence is sky high. I start to move toward him looking for the right time to explode with force. Contrary to what you might think at this point, I’m not playing basketball right now. I’m actually barefoot with my karate instructor in an aerobic studio at the local gym that we both go to. Just to give you some background information, I’ve been training karate for about a year now on and off, consistently inconsistent I would say. Things have been going well training with my instructor the past month. He tells me that I learn quickly and that my build gives me an advantage over my opponents that I could possibly face during future karate tournaments. This excites me and gives me a drive for this sport like I never felt before. Learning different techniques and figuring out angles and complex maneuvers were on the daily menu with my instructor. All the new information was so exciting that it drove me into dreams of winning the UFC lightweight belt over BJ Penn. (That right there was a sign that I should calm down and take it down a few levels back to earth.) All of this big headedness leads me to my inevitable downfall.
Once my trainer thought I was ready, he told me that we should start lightly sparing so I could get used to the experience of going against an actual person. We were going to go two four minute rounds of free sparing. I was stoked; I finally got to used what I learned into action! We got into our stances as I touched gloves for the first time against someone else. My heart raced as adrenaline was coursing through my veins as my eyes widened and my breathing increased. All the time I was thinking, “What have I got myself into?” I had forgotten that my trainer is a second degree black belt. I took it easy the first minute to feel things out and try to sort out the mess of techniques that were racing through my head. Reality started to set in as all the training that I had received might as well have been nonexistent at this point. The only thing I remember doing was rushing forward with a feint jab following up with a left cross. That was when I met my demise. I learned a new technique in that second, it was called, “my face to his fist.” The punch left me dazed and stunned. I had no clue that where it came from or what hand he tagged me with. Pain rocked my cheek like I got hit by a rock thrown by Hank Aaron. I tried to cover up my face but he decided to teach me another technique, “His fist to my floating rib.” This move was similar to the last one. The breath that once filled my lungs was forced out of me without warning. So there I was, broken without breath on the cold hardwood floor with one question on my mind, “What happens next?”
This minute and a half taught me a lot about those ever trying times we all go through in our lives. How many times have you hit the floor broken and breathless? How many times have we flown so high only to crash just as hard if not harder? It seems to be a contradiction that the more we learn the less we seem to know. When things come crashing down, the things that we’ve learned go right out the window. No matter how many roundhouses or reverse punches we practice, nothing can prepare us for the trials and tribulations that come at us. Whether it be a bitter divorce between our parents, a loved one’s heart decides to stop beating, or with the screaming sounds of tire squealing and colliding metal. Sometimes life comes at us so fast we don’t have time to try and cover up and prepare for that final blow.
Trials and tribulations come with life, there is no escaping them. They are defaulted in the lives of every single individual who has ever lived on this earth; no one goes without them. But it isn’t the trials and tribulations that define our lives; the moment that defines us is the question “what happens next?” One thing is certain during these trying times is that we are on the floor broken, bruised, and breathless. It seems at that point, all hope is lost. The real question is whether or not we decide to get back up and keep fighting on. The Eternal Creator of the Heavens gave us an opportunity to cling to His promise at these times of struggle, the promise that He will never leave nor forsake us. He will always be there when we hit the cold hardwood after the unavoidable right cross that just hit us. That promise is embodied in His Son, Jesus Christ. “That who became flesh and lived among us.” He is the one thing in this life that is concrete and resolute. Unlike us, He never changes and never falls.
The thing about this opportunity is that it is completely optional. Think of a prize fighter in boxing who gets knocked down to the canvas for the first time, the ref is giving him the 10 count and at that moment, he has the choice to make whether to get up and keep fighting or cut his losses and give up right then and there. In the Biblical story of Job, Job was a rich man who had everything he ever wanted. He had lots of land, money, and a family who loved him. Until all of it was taken away from him at an instant by the devil. He lost his land, money, livestock, and his kids died and his wife left him. That wasn’t the end of it though; he was stricken with boils on his skin and was on the brink of death. Still, Job kept his faith and pushed forward and held onto God.
The Switchfoot song “Dare You to Move” comes to my mind when as I write this as Jon Foreman says during the bridge, “what happens next? Salvation is here.” These lyrics couldn’t be truer. Here are the facts, yes these times are trying and yes we are left on the floor busted and bleeding, but here is where Grace steps in. God lives and is all powerful and in His benevolence, He sent His Son to die for the broken, the bleeding, the breathless, and the hopeless. These times may be hard, but God is the Rock of Salvation who never moves. All we have to do is to get back up and renew our faith in Him.
The famous UFC welterweight champion George St. Pierre said during an interview that “I am never the same person the next day. I am a better martial artist when I go to sleep than when I woke up.” As children of God we are called to fight just has hard through this life. We have on armor given by God to help us through the intense battles that life throws us into. The great thing about Christ is that He is much like a refiner refining gold. A refiner places the gold into the intensely hot fire and keeps it there until the gold is glowing hot and starting to change form. At times we think to ourselves, when will our fires be lifted off of us? When will God deliver me from these trying times? We must remember that God knows us individually with great detail. The Refiner knows exactly when to pull out the gold from the fire. The process of refining is to cleanse the metal of any impurities that it may have. One may ask “When does the Refiner know when to pull the gold out of the fire?” The answer is simple, only when he can see his reflection in the gold.
These trying times, these fires, these battles refine us into better individuals; tougher, stronger, more patient, and increasingly more faithful. God knows when to pull us out, we just have to endure the flames that burn us at the moment.
So my friends, I ask you this, “What happens next?” What happens after you’re knocked down? Will you decide to give up or will you learn to cling to The Infinite Creator and decide to get back up and endure, to fight on, to keep moving. Salvation is here my brothers and sisters, it is here and it is not going anywhere. It will always be yours to take. Breathe it in with every breath you have, for as long as there is air in your lungs, there is always room for a second chance.
Once my trainer thought I was ready, he told me that we should start lightly sparing so I could get used to the experience of going against an actual person. We were going to go two four minute rounds of free sparing. I was stoked; I finally got to used what I learned into action! We got into our stances as I touched gloves for the first time against someone else. My heart raced as adrenaline was coursing through my veins as my eyes widened and my breathing increased. All the time I was thinking, “What have I got myself into?” I had forgotten that my trainer is a second degree black belt. I took it easy the first minute to feel things out and try to sort out the mess of techniques that were racing through my head. Reality started to set in as all the training that I had received might as well have been nonexistent at this point. The only thing I remember doing was rushing forward with a feint jab following up with a left cross. That was when I met my demise. I learned a new technique in that second, it was called, “my face to his fist.” The punch left me dazed and stunned. I had no clue that where it came from or what hand he tagged me with. Pain rocked my cheek like I got hit by a rock thrown by Hank Aaron. I tried to cover up my face but he decided to teach me another technique, “His fist to my floating rib.” This move was similar to the last one. The breath that once filled my lungs was forced out of me without warning. So there I was, broken without breath on the cold hardwood floor with one question on my mind, “What happens next?”
This minute and a half taught me a lot about those ever trying times we all go through in our lives. How many times have you hit the floor broken and breathless? How many times have we flown so high only to crash just as hard if not harder? It seems to be a contradiction that the more we learn the less we seem to know. When things come crashing down, the things that we’ve learned go right out the window. No matter how many roundhouses or reverse punches we practice, nothing can prepare us for the trials and tribulations that come at us. Whether it be a bitter divorce between our parents, a loved one’s heart decides to stop beating, or with the screaming sounds of tire squealing and colliding metal. Sometimes life comes at us so fast we don’t have time to try and cover up and prepare for that final blow.
Trials and tribulations come with life, there is no escaping them. They are defaulted in the lives of every single individual who has ever lived on this earth; no one goes without them. But it isn’t the trials and tribulations that define our lives; the moment that defines us is the question “what happens next?” One thing is certain during these trying times is that we are on the floor broken, bruised, and breathless. It seems at that point, all hope is lost. The real question is whether or not we decide to get back up and keep fighting on. The Eternal Creator of the Heavens gave us an opportunity to cling to His promise at these times of struggle, the promise that He will never leave nor forsake us. He will always be there when we hit the cold hardwood after the unavoidable right cross that just hit us. That promise is embodied in His Son, Jesus Christ. “That who became flesh and lived among us.” He is the one thing in this life that is concrete and resolute. Unlike us, He never changes and never falls.
The thing about this opportunity is that it is completely optional. Think of a prize fighter in boxing who gets knocked down to the canvas for the first time, the ref is giving him the 10 count and at that moment, he has the choice to make whether to get up and keep fighting or cut his losses and give up right then and there. In the Biblical story of Job, Job was a rich man who had everything he ever wanted. He had lots of land, money, and a family who loved him. Until all of it was taken away from him at an instant by the devil. He lost his land, money, livestock, and his kids died and his wife left him. That wasn’t the end of it though; he was stricken with boils on his skin and was on the brink of death. Still, Job kept his faith and pushed forward and held onto God.
Job held on to the Hope that God offers; the hope that whatever we are going through, it doesn’t compare to the strength that He ultimately has. Job decided not to tap out and he knew that all he has to do is get back up and cling to Hope.“I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth.” Job 19: 25
The Switchfoot song “Dare You to Move” comes to my mind when as I write this as Jon Foreman says during the bridge, “what happens next? Salvation is here.” These lyrics couldn’t be truer. Here are the facts, yes these times are trying and yes we are left on the floor busted and bleeding, but here is where Grace steps in. God lives and is all powerful and in His benevolence, He sent His Son to die for the broken, the bleeding, the breathless, and the hopeless. These times may be hard, but God is the Rock of Salvation who never moves. All we have to do is to get back up and renew our faith in Him.
The famous UFC welterweight champion George St. Pierre said during an interview that “I am never the same person the next day. I am a better martial artist when I go to sleep than when I woke up.” As children of God we are called to fight just has hard through this life. We have on armor given by God to help us through the intense battles that life throws us into. The great thing about Christ is that He is much like a refiner refining gold. A refiner places the gold into the intensely hot fire and keeps it there until the gold is glowing hot and starting to change form. At times we think to ourselves, when will our fires be lifted off of us? When will God deliver me from these trying times? We must remember that God knows us individually with great detail. The Refiner knows exactly when to pull out the gold from the fire. The process of refining is to cleanse the metal of any impurities that it may have. One may ask “When does the Refiner know when to pull the gold out of the fire?” The answer is simple, only when he can see his reflection in the gold.
These trying times, these fires, these battles refine us into better individuals; tougher, stronger, more patient, and increasingly more faithful. God knows when to pull us out, we just have to endure the flames that burn us at the moment.
So my friends, I ask you this, “What happens next?” What happens after you’re knocked down? Will you decide to give up or will you learn to cling to The Infinite Creator and decide to get back up and endure, to fight on, to keep moving. Salvation is here my brothers and sisters, it is here and it is not going anywhere. It will always be yours to take. Breathe it in with every breath you have, for as long as there is air in your lungs, there is always room for a second chance.
