“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit. 9 We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going” 1 Corinthians 4:8-9, TLB).
I remember my first yo-yo. It was a vintage red Duncan Butterfly. I would spend hours practicing with my friends. I wasn’t very good but I did learn a few tricks, such as Rock the Cradle, Walk the Dog, and Around the World.
As I grew older, I learned that life mimics the actions of a yo-yo. Certain situations came along that left me feeling all tied up in knots. In a few instances, I felt my emotions bottoming out leaving me to wonder if I my sense of joy would ever bounce back.
Joni Eareckson Tada understands the ups and downs of life. While diving into the Chesapeake Bay on a warm summer’s day in 1967, Joni struck a rock beneath the surface of the water and instantly became a quadriplegic. Ever since that tragedy Joni has struggled with chronic pain, life-threatening illnesses, and periodic episodes of major depression.
Yet in every instance, Joni manages to rebound. Today, Joni is recognized as an influential author, an accomplished artist, and the founder of an international organization that ministers to disabled people and their loved ones all over the world. Joni’s secret to resilience stems from looking at the right reality.
Throughout his own precarious circumstances, Paul likewise learned that God would never abandoned him. When life knocked Paul down, God gave him the resolve and strength to get back onto his feet. Like Joni Eareckson Tada, the secret to Paul’s resilience was his singular focus on God. Rather than centering his gaze upon the temporal problems he faced, Paul chose to set his sights on the transcendent power of Christ. Even when Paul had his doubts about the path he was taking, Paul continued trusting in the providence of the One who was leading him.
Author, Nancy Willard, writes:
I haven’t a clue how my story will end, but that’s all right. When you set out on a journey and night covers the road, that’s when you discover the stars.
Such is the lesson I learned from the yo-yo. When you are down, keep looking up. No measure of darkness can eclipse the light of hope that is ours in Jesus Christ!