A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule that fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule braying and after carefully assessing the situation, he sympathized with the mule but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.
Initially, the old mule was hysterical. But a thought struck him as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back, why not shake it off and step up every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back. This he did blow after blow. "Shake it off and step up... shake it off and step up... shake it off and step up," he repeated to encourage himself.
No matter how painful the blows, or how distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought panic and just kept on shaking it off and stepping up! It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well!
What seemed like it would bury him had actually blessed him, all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity. That's life. If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness or self-pity, the adversities that come along to bury us usually have the potential to benefit and bless us!
Remember that forgiveness, faith, prayer, praise, and hope are all excellent ways to "Shake It Off And Step Up" out of the wells in which we find ourselves!
That's good advice.
ReplyDelete