Life Training - Adversities...Will You Succumb to it or overcome it? Gary Eby

If not for Goliath David wouldn’t he have stayed as a lowly shepherd boy?  By besting Goliath David became a phenomenal King! A rodeo rider wants the meanest bull he can get!  He’ll get a better score.  You need to keep in mind, that it’s not what you are going “through” that is of prime importance but it’s what you are going “to” that matter! Adversity will make you stronger if you let it!

            Wilma Rudolph was the 20th of 22 children. She was born prematurely and the doctors didn't expect her to survive. But she did, at the age of 4 she contracted double pneumonia and scarlet fever, which left her with her left leg paralyzed.

            One beautiful Sunday at the age of 9 she detached the metal leg brace she had relied on for the past five years and began walking down the aisle of her church.

            By age 13, she had learned a rhythmic walk, which doctors said was a miracle. That same year, she was determined to begin running. Thus she entered her first race but came in last.

            She came in dead last for the next three years, in every race she entered. But, she persisted on running until the day came that she won a race.

            She became more determined than ever and in 1958, she began college at Tennessee State University and became a member of Ed Temple’s “Tigerbelles” track team. In 1960, she was able to set a world record for the 200 meter dash during the Olympic trials.

            Eventually, the little girl who was not supposed to live and then who was not supposed to be able to walk would win three Olympic gold medals

Her great testimony was a direct result of her great test since she absolutely refused to let her adversity deny her dreams.  It is an established fact that you can’t run before you walk. You can’t sing before you talk.  There is a natural progression to growth. 

Everybody wants those great testimonies.  But I’m here to tell you, you can’t have a testimony until you’ve had a test. Let’s look at some of the lyrics from a song I wrote that I think are pertinent to our discussion.

            The victor’s crown only goes to those who’ve been in war. Eagles can’t stay in their nest if they want to soar.

Sitting on the side lines you’ll never be your best. You can’t have a testimony ‘til you’ve had a test.”

And the chorus goes,

You can’t have a testimony ‘til you’ve had a test.   First the trial of your faith then you will be blessed. 

A seed must die, and be buried before it has success. You can’t have a testimony till you’ve had a test.

Isn’t that like life?  Listen to the next verse.

“God won’t send thirsty people to an empty well. Heaven’s cup sure is sweeter once you’ve tasted hell.

There’s no wine until the grape had gone through the press. You can’t have a testimony ‘til you’ve had a test.

Some of you want that sweet fragrance of wine. You want your life to be like a fine wine getting better with age. But, you can’t have the “wine” until the “grape’- your life, your struggles - has gone through the press.

Challenges can cause the muscles to grow. Think about this ... you wouldn’t be what you are today unless you had walked through what you’ve had to walk through. You had to deal with those adversities. Unless you had known what it’s like to fail ... unless you’ve tasted the bitter cup you won’t understand the sweetness of success when it comes. And it will come!

It’s how you “re”act that will help determine your destiny. It’s not how you act in the midst of adversity... it’s

            Before the on set of the Civil War, Edmund McIlhenny operated a sugar plantation and a saltworks on Avery Island, Louisiana. Yankee troops invaded the area in 1863, and McIlhenny had to flee. When he returned in 1865, his sugar fields and salt works were ruined.

One of the few things left were some hot Mexican peppers that had reseeded themselves in the kitchen garden. McIlhenny, who was living hand to mouth, started experimenting with the ground peppers to make a sauce that would liven up his dull diet. His new found sauce is known today as Tabasco sauce. To this day, over a hundred years later, the McIlhenny Company and its Tabasco business is still run by the McIlhenny family.

He allowed his adversity to build him rather than break him. It has become a trite saying none the less it’s true ... when life gives you lemons ... make lemonade!

Did you know that when a baby chick is born and you try to help it by taking off the shells that you are probably dooming that chick.  Because the struggle to free itself it what develops it’s lungs and muscles.  The fight to survive keeps it alive. There are battles we must fight if we are to live!

Often times when our struggles seem lost and we face criticism, we have to realize that the only way we can avoid it easily is by saying nothing, doing nothing and being nothing!

            Think about this ... The higher we fly the smaller we appear to those who choose to stay on the ground!

Here’s some free advice ... a freebee from Eby ... Don’t talk to cynics and don’t address critics.

It’s like this, folks, sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through all our life without any obstacles, that would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. As spiritual being of renowned benevolence he gave us the will power to decide what would be fitting to our self worth, our personal mission and choose our path based on these assumptions.

Don’t let adversity break you.  Make up your mind to break through!