Coming Back Stronger
Posted in Mike's Posts 0 comments
One of my most memorable experiences as a child was learning to ride a bike. I remember the day that my dad took me to Western Auto to pick out my bike. I knew which one I wanted - the bright yellow one with a black banana seat! It was a great gift. I was very excited to learn how to ride it and could not wait to get home, for my dad had promised to teach me to ride that very day!
His process for teaching me to ride was to take me to the top of our yard... Side note: our yard slanted down toward the road then across from the road was a fence which protected kids from a creek below. He said, "Son, here is how you learn, hop on." With no further instruction, I hopped on trusting he would teach me all the ins and outs of riding a bike.... He proceeded to let the bike go. I probably set a world record for the longest first bike ride... I hit the fence. After I was done crying and had my wounds bandaged up, I wanted back on. This time I had questions: How do you stop? How do you turn? How do you pedal? How do you balance? How do you not hit the fence.
Life is a lot like that. We fall, we miss the mark, we get off course. The question becomes, how do we bounce back? I am convinced that successful people are not those without failure, but those who bounce back. We should not be defined by our failure, but by how we come back from it. This is the opposite of how many followers of Jesus live - we fail and then we beat ourselves up for failing. We condemn and hate ourselves. It's time to get back on the bike my friends. Be defined not by your failure, but by how you bound back.
His process for teaching me to ride was to take me to the top of our yard... Side note: our yard slanted down toward the road then across from the road was a fence which protected kids from a creek below. He said, "Son, here is how you learn, hop on." With no further instruction, I hopped on trusting he would teach me all the ins and outs of riding a bike.... He proceeded to let the bike go. I probably set a world record for the longest first bike ride... I hit the fence. After I was done crying and had my wounds bandaged up, I wanted back on. This time I had questions: How do you stop? How do you turn? How do you pedal? How do you balance? How do you not hit the fence.
Life is a lot like that. We fall, we miss the mark, we get off course. The question becomes, how do we bounce back? I am convinced that successful people are not those without failure, but those who bounce back. We should not be defined by our failure, but by how we come back from it. This is the opposite of how many followers of Jesus live - we fail and then we beat ourselves up for failing. We condemn and hate ourselves. It's time to get back on the bike my friends. Be defined not by your failure, but by how you bound back.
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