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Next Time....

by Shannon Heiden  
1/22/2010 / Devotionals

Next Time....

"I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. Ecclesiastes 9:11 NIV)

Beautiful One, have you ever done something that you later regretted? You thought at the time, "I'll never know unless..." but now that you know, you wished you didn't. The questions remain "why did I do that?..what am I really looking for?"

I don't know if it is the disappointment, or the regret that is the hardest to shake off. Things didn't exactly work out, it might not even be a bad thing that you took a chance on. Nevertheless, it wasn't for you. Now you have to move on. But, how do you do that? How will you be better prepared next time? Or, will there even be a next time? Maybe its not regret you feel, maybe, its a knowing deep inside that your missing something and you fear you will never find it. Maybe you've missed your moment? Maybe next time, will turn out like this time?

Maybe, Maybe, Maybe...

It can all be so exhausting. We are each trying our best in life to run our own race. We may have started late in the game, something as simple as getting out of the starting blocks, wasn't so simple. It seemed to require a skill that we didn't possess, or even know how to attain. Others, they leaped out, maybe we crawled our way out. Nevertheless, we made it.

Whether we had coaches who trained and taught us, or we were our own cheerleader, we're in the race. At times we lag behind others who just seem to always have a spring in their step. Then, we catch our second wind, only to have it cut short because someone has crossed the lines and cut in our lane. Causing us to stumble, and hit the ground. Now we have to get back up, only we're at a disadvantage. We're injured. We're bruised and sore, our confidence is shaken, and endurance seems to have disappeared somewhere,.... back there.

Beautiful One, every experience we have encountered on our journey has molded and shaped our lives. Who we are is; where we've been, what we've been through, and how well we recovered from it. It makes a huge difference along the way, if we can justify and resolve the issues of life within ourselves. But as you may already know, sometimes there are no justifiable reasons for the many losses and hardships we face.

So how then do we know that we didn't blow it? How do we effectively reach our goals when we're injured? We know where the finish line is, but we're stuck on a turn somewhere in the race.
Beautiful One, may I suggest that no matter what condition your in from running your race, where your at, is not where you'll end up if you simply keep going. Baby steps if you have to. So what if you had to stop and let others pass you by. So what if you need more rest then the next person. Who really cares who cut in your lane and caused you to stumble?

None of those things matter right now. The past miles of your life cannot be made up. Their gone, let them be. You have today, this is your moment. You may be wounded but you still can get back in this race and you can still WIN it!

When we have been unsure of ourselves, sometimes we do things that make no sense. Sometimes when our life takes an unexpected turn, we panic. We are so uncomfortable, we cannot make sense of our circumstances and in our fear, we take risks. Hoping and wishing something wondrous will come from it. More times than not, its not wondrous, we're just left wondering.

Beautiful One, we have to be careful when opportunities come. Not that their bad, or wrong, they may even be a good thing. But good doesn't mean it's the best thing. We need to be careful because we may be vulnerable and susceptible to wanting a change so badly that we waste our time and strength trying to open doors that are to remain shut. It is in times like these that we need to use wisdom not emotion. Sometimes we just want to try something new because its' so different from the old, and we're just tired of dealing with the old.

It's a fine line isn't it? How will we know unless we try it, compared to; how are we going to feel if the expected end is not the desired result? Are we better off trying and failing, or not doing anything at all? Its almost as if we're trading the chance to be disappointed for the reality of complacency.

Hardly seems fair.

But then, there are those unexpected turns in the race when risks are taken, chances are given and to our surprise, it actually works out.

If you have lived for any length of time you will have experienced some setbacks and successes. And you do learn, that there are more questions in life than answers. There are more people you will have to forgive, than you will love. There will be more struggles, than successes enjoyed.

Thats just life.

But it is possible to take the hand you've been dealt, and win. Sometimes, just finishing that last mile is a win. Not giving up when others surely would've, is a win. Sometimes the best revenge in life is to actually live, and live well! Somewhere we have to come to a defining moment and determine that no matter what, we're gonna do this thing!

Blind, beaten, weary, alone or afraid, no matter what, we're in to win it! We need to make a decision today that we will leave this earth, better then when we came to it. Just determining and settling that one simple truth in our hearts, is a vital tool for our mentality to win our race!

It is said that the best way to get back at your enemy is to make them your friend. May I suggest, the best way to get back at life when it has stolen from you, is to live, and live so well and to the fullest that no person, or circumstance can ever have the last word.

Beautiful One, take chances, but use the wisdom God gives you. Don't just settle for mediocrity, aim high. More importantly, finish your race. Finish what God put you on this earth to do. Dont let others intimidate you, don't even look at their lane. Understand that when we're disadvantaged, weak and yes even whimpering, it is only an opportunity for a Champion to arise within us.

Never give up. Always keep your hope. Put your faith in God, do all you can in your natural strength, and God will add his super to your natural and you will see exceedingly, abundantly more wondrous things on your journey, than you could've ever hoped, asked or imagined.

Beautiful One, just believe, because time will settle up with chance. Next time!

Shannon Heiden
[email protected]
changingonelifereachingmany.typepad.com

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