In the movie Shawshank Redemption Tim Robbins plays Andy Dufresne, an accountant falsely accused of killing his wife. After fighting for survival while on laundry duty in prison, the warden begins to show favor toward Andy, moving him to Library duty. Eventually, Andy is put in charge of the library, getting permission to write the state for funds. For 3 years, Andy shows relentless determination, not stopping until he receives his goal, money and donated material to update the library.
The Lord convicted me today that I often give up before I reach my goal or desired destination. Sometimes people read too much into closed doors, failure or lost opportunities. Trying something once, twice or a few times and abandoning it isn’t honoring to God, especially if you are going in a direction you are passionate about. As C.S. Lewis declares in Mere Christianity, success is the process of arriving, not actually arriving.
As I continue to search for my place in the world, a song by Michael W. Smith, I need to dig down deep. Like a 3rd stringer trying to make an NFL team, the person who demonstrates relentless determination often opens the coaches eyes and sometimes wins a spot on the team. Desperation can bring out the best in someone, especially if they are fighting for their livelihood. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! Faith in a cause leads to relentless determination, James 2:18.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 