7 전 - 8 기

Rising With The Challenge

Perhaps for many characters in folklore and legend, rising to the occasion is accompanied by some awesome feat and is usually accompanied by victory. These stories are fun and entertaining. We strive to be these heroes of myth at times because our challenges are not wholly different from fiction, and we too want to be great. But the reality is that our world lies largely out of fiction and sometimes we do not come out conquerors of our contests.

As I reflect on some of the challenges of my past, I realize that although I have risen to meet several “great” difficulties in my life, the majority of them have been long, arduous undertakings. They required less of an ability to succeed at only one level, but rather maintain a level of endurance for a steady (if not indefinite) period of time. Because I believe that we have the ability to match these constant stressors of life, I believe that we can say that it is also our goal to rise with each occasion.

A good example of rising with the occasion comes for every missionary who struggles to serve…or teach…or love. We rise with the occasion as we get up and out of bed each morning to head to work or school. We know that the road to triumph in these cases is not easy and is not a one-time deal. While we may not understand the complete purpose in store, we do feel that each time we rise we come closer to excellence.

Each new day we face new problems that we must overcome. In times of weakness, I try to remember the words of Abraham Lincoln as he addressed the congress:

“The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present.

The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we

must rise – with the occasion.”

Personally speaking, I have not known life to get easier. Although I have known short moments of great achievement, most of life is a struggle that we must rise up with.