by John Mason
Every obstacle introduces a person to himself.
How we respond to obstacles in our path is important.
The greatest example of an obstacle in the Bible is the giant Goliath who confronted and intimidated the armies of Israel, including the brothers of a young shepherd lad man named David. Of course, we know that David's brothers chose not to do anything about the obstacle before them, but David did.
The difference between David and his brothers was this: the brothers looked at the obstacle and figured it was too big to hit, but David looked at the obstacle and figured it was too big to miss.
The way you look at any obstacle in your life makes all the difference.
Let each new obstacle force you to go to the next level in God. No obstacle will ever leave you the way it found you. You will either be better or you will be worse as a result of that confrontation.
But keep in mind one important fact about obstacles: every obstacle has a limited lifespan. Many times there are things that we worried about last year that we can't even remember today. One of the biggest lies of the devil is that things will not change, that they will not pass.
Mediocre people tend to be tamed and subdued by obstacles, but great leaders always rise above them. You and I need to be like the great man, who, when asked what helped him overcome the obstacles of life, responded, "The other obstacles." We should be like a kite that rises against the wind, causing it to mount higher and higher. Every problem has a soft spot - there is an answer.
Since many of the obstacles we face are money related, the correct perspective is to know that if a problem can be solved with a checkbook, it's not really an obstacle; it's an expense.
Someone has said that obstacles are what we see when we take our eyes off the goal. Keep your eyes on the goal and remember that you are not alone in your struggle for "...we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Rom. 8:28 NIV).
Really, in times of adversity you don't have an obstacle to deal with, you have a choice to make. In the midst of unbelievable circumstances, believe.
Source: An Enemy Called Average by John Mason
All rights reserved. Excerpt permission granted by Insight International.
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For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, "Be removed and
be cast into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that
those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
Mark 11:23 (NKJV)
