“The few, the chosen—the strugglers.”

A thought by Kyle Idleman from his book, Don't Give Up (p. 76). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

I’m glad you stopped.  This is important to see.

Kyle says, “In his book David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell shares… stories of multitudes of people who chose to overcome. He writes about what he calls ‘desirable difficulties,’ postulating that having to face horrible circumstances is actually an opportunity rather than an obstacle. People who have to overcome adversity are forced to learn more and work harder, and actually, have an advantage over those who have had it easier. The few, the chosen—the strugglers.”

Kyle goes on, “He suggests that the unbelievable number of people who have overcome disability or disadvantage didn’t succeed in spite of their circumstances but because of them. Not that difficulties served up greatness to them on a silver platter. Instead, they chose to use their difficulties as fuel for the journey.

“All of these people chose to overcome, and you can too. In fact, you have something going for you that many of them didn’t: God. Romans 8:37 reads, ‘We are more than conquerors through him who loved us.’ Speak those words to your soul the next time the fog rolls in and you feel like giving up.

“Life is difficult, but nothing you’ve faced or are facing is too difficult for him. His grace is sufficient for you, and his power is made perfect in your weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). So, if you’ve felt like quitting, I’m telling you: listen to what the great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12) is saying to you.

“In the cloud of witnesses, there is a group of big names and also a group of people whose names we don’t know. They wore sheepskins and goatskins, wandered in deserts, and hid in caves. The world, we’re told, was not worthy of them. I wonder what they would say if they looked at your current situation. Maybe it would be something like, ‘Would you stop it, please? For your own sake and for the sake of people around you, would you stop feeling sorry for yourself?

“‘Look, I know that what happened to you wasn’t right. I know what happened to you wasn’t fair. I get that what you’re going through hurts, and it hurts a lot.

“‘Life is difficult. But what happened, happened. What you’re going through is what you’re going through. This is not the time to throw up your hands and quit. You may not see it right now. You may not understand it right now. You may be ready to turn back right now, just before you reach the far coastline.

“‘Don’t. Just don’t.

“‘Keep perspective, have faith, and don’t give up.’”

You’ll do that, won’t you?

Yes, yes!