HANG IN
THERE
Have you ever been to a rodeo? I’ve been to several rodeos in my
lifetime. If you’ve never been, maybe
you’ve seen rodeos on TV or something.
Perhaps you will agree that bull riding is one of the
most exciting “sports” in the world (and certainly one of the most
dangerous). Those bull riders are tough
or crazy – and maybe a little bit of both!
Facing down a 2,000-pound bull can certainly be intimidating.
Once a bull rider settles himself on the back of that
animal and ties his hand into the rope, one of his buddies will say to him,
“Hang in there!” With that and an
affirmative nod from the rider, the chute opens and out into the arena charges
the raging bull and rider. The rider
grips the bull-rope with one hand and holds his other hand high in the
air. The crowd of spectators scream, “Hang
in there!” as the rider puts forth his best effort to become the master
of the eight-second challenge.
It takes more than desire and encouragement from the
spectators, however, for that rider to stay on the bull. Bull riding requires skill, balance,
flexibility, coordination, determination, and courage. In fact, bull riding is where the phrase
“hang in there” originated.
I have found that life can be a lot like bull
riding! One HUGE difference, though, is
that it is more than a mere 8-second challenge!
Life can buck you around pretty hard; and will oftentimes throw you hard
to the ground. And, like that nasty old
bull, life will oftentimes gouge you and stomp you further into the ground upon
which you’ve so awkwardly landed!
It is possible that there is no one more qualified to
teach us how to “hang in there” than the Apostle Paul. He endured some of the
greatest hardships for a Christian that life could conjure up. Both the Jews and the Gentiles hated him. He
was misunderstood and attacked by other Christians. He was shipwrecked three
times! He was beaten with 39 stripes six times! He was stoned and left for dead
three times!
Paul learned the secret of how NOT to get thrown off
this bull we call life! He knew how to “hang in there!” In Verse 1 of II
Corinthians chapter 4, Paul says simply, “…we faint not.”
·
The Amplified
says, “…we do not get discouraged (spiritless and despondent with fear) or
become faint with weariness and exhaustion.”
·
The New Living
Translation says, “…we never give up.”
·
The NIV states, “…we
do not lose heart.”
·
The Message: “…we’re
not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into
occasional hard times!”
I’m reaching out to somebody today who just settled
down onto the back of that bull called Hard
Times in Life and you need to hear the familiar phrase – “HANG IN THERE!”
Don’t get discouraged!
Don’t lose heart!
Never give up!
Hang in there, because we are not about to throw up
our hands and walk away from this Christian life just because we hit hard
times!
We are in this together! And, together we are going to make it!
