Today the word determination is on my mind. It means firmness or sense of purpose, will power, decision, perseverance, tenacity, courage, boldness, tendency to move in a fixed direction, etc.
I was watching this video of a dog who was unable to walk but had the determination to do just that. This dog was unbelievable and just caught my attention. The vet was ready to put him to sleep but realized that his problem was something else. The dog couldn’t stop moving one way or the other. He was determined to walk, and he didn’t care how he was going to do it. He was trying everything he could to move around. He was at first moving on his belly, then using one leg to help his whole body go from one place to another. Every step he took was hard and sometimes he was hurting himself during the process. However, he persevered for two months until he finally was able to stand, walk and run. Wow this dog never gave up!
My thoughts watching this were overwhelmed by the word determination. God has given every human being determination. It is in us as soon as we are conceived. We can also see this when an infant starts walking. He first crawls on his belly, and then comes the time when he pushes himself up with arms and feet to move. Then he tries to stand on his legs and takes one step after another, with his best cheerleaders who are his parents and family who help him through his journey.
Through his determination and persistence, he is finally able to walk. What a beautiful picture. If you think about it, it was those little steps one after the other that brought him great victory. Often time we think we must do big things, but it is really the small and repeated steps that bring us to our final goal.
Through this whole process this little infant without knowing it was gaining and developing his perseverance, patience, strength and power. Even though at times he was defeated and hurt, his determination was the fuel toward the goal to finally stand and walk. At the end it was GREAT VICTORY for him and what a joy when he stood up and walked!
We do not realize it, but babies also have great trials in life. They must conquer some battles as we do. We can learn a great deal from them. But like this baby and little dog we cannot give up. We must continue to fight and take step after step no matter how things look, whatever we hear or feel, even when we fall again and again. Like the baby we get up again having the best cheerleader of all, the Holy Spirit, who is developing things in our life that we don’t even see. After a while, we are finally able to stand and walk in victory!
What a joy when you look back and see the greatness of our God and the victory, He brought us.
“For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again” Proverb 24:16
“Therefore, take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand, stand therefore! Ephesians 6:13
The Amplified Bible says:
“Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day (of danger) and having done all (the crisis demands), to stand (firmly in your place) stand therefore (hold your ground)”
“My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptation, knowing this that the trial of your faith work patience, but let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing” James 1:3-4
The Amplified Bible says:
“Consider whole joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptation. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be (people) perfect and fully developed (with no defeats) lacking nothing”
“I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me” Ephesians 4:13
The Amplified Bible says:
“I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me. I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me, ‘I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency’”
*Article from Melina Fabian