Afterschock

I've never experienced an earthquake, short of the ride at Universal Studios. I've slept through the ones that occurred in Georgia. I'm more of wind and rain, hurricane versus the ground is moving type girl. From what I've heard, sometimes the aftershocks are worse. Aftershocks are small earthquakes that occur after the initial quake. They often cause more damage because of the already weakened infrastructure.

We experience aftershocks in our life all the time. We experience trauma and tragedy. Sometimes, they seem to occur in cyclic manners. We get overwhelmed and depressed because it all seems like too much. We are shaken to our core by unexpected deaths and unforeseen circumstances, but they continue to happen. They continue to shape us and not break us. Difficulty tests our strength. It creates fortitude. Aftershocks prepare us for the unexpected. They keep us alert and vigilant.

1 Peter 5:8 (KJV) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Fortitude

I heard a preacher say that, “on the other side of your pain is success.” Most of us would choose a life free from pain and adversity. We would choose a life that doesn’t require any courage under fire. Interesting enough, it’s in the fire that we find out how much we can endure. It is in our weakness, we find our strength. It is in challenging times, we find our fortitude.

Obstacles

I love obstacle courses. In fact, I attempted the ninja course at Slingshot Entertainment this past summer. I use the word attempt very lightly. The very first challenge required me to overcome my fear. There were a few other challenges where I overestimated my physical ability and hurt myself.  I realized quickly that this obstacle course was designed to present both physical and mental challenges. Obstacles in our lives cause us to re-evaluate our capabilities. Some obstacles present mental challenges, while others present financial or physical challenges. Identify the obstacles in your life. Are they physical? Are they financial? Are they mental? Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. Create a time sensitive plan with a deadline. Execute the plan.

"The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”― Confucius