Dig Deeper, Push Harder!
A few years ago my mom and my niece came down for a visit. We all went out to Weikwa Springs which is one of my favorite places. It’s a natural spring that reminds me so much of old Florida before commercialism took over. You drive back into a very wooded area to find an oasis. It would have been a place where native Americans would have visited for centuries. The water is so clear and refreshing that you can see straight to the bottom. On one side they have built it where people can go swimming. There is an animal gate so all the natural wildlife can’t come in and nibble at your toes. On the other side the part of the spring where you can rent canoes and go boating out on the water. On this side you will see all animals natural to the Florida wildlife.
It was decided on that particular day that I would take my oldest daughter who was six at the time and my niece who was thirteen out on the canoe for a nice boat ride. As I sat in the back of the boat to steer I got a little nervous. The sight was beautiful but if you know me you know I harbor a fear of alligators. Living in Florida has made me learn to be okay as long as they are far away, but going canoeing in Weikiwa Springs it’s common to see them, and hear them. You have to accept the fact your boating in waters that have them all over. This being the first time I’d done this without my husband around I was a bit scared but trying to be the brave adult in the boat. I put on a happy face and insisted we’d be okay. It was a beautiful day. The sun shone through the trees leaving it’s pattern on the water. We could see the turtles under the water and out sunbathing. I was avoiding the fact I’d already seen an alligator and hoped the girls didn’t start to get scared. About the time we decided to turn around the weather took a bad turn. The wind had picked up and was now going against us. It was starting to rain, and we got caught on a log. I started to freak out. I was trying to mask it out of my concern for the sake of my daughter and niece. I was not about to jump in that water and get us unstuck. I knew some people would do that but there were gators in that water! When I finally got us over the log the wind was picking up even harder. My niece was trying to row, but it seemed that we started to go in circles. She was trying to paddle one way and myself the other. The wind seemed relentless. Internally I started to panic. Let’s rewind here: I’m in gator infested waters, I have a 13 and a 6 year old in my boat whom I’m responsible for, and the boat isn’t moving no matter how hard I try to paddle. I started to pray. I could remember a sermon once Pastor Greg gave once years ago at Freedom that has always stayed with me about how we were created in God’s image so we can declare that we have characteristics of God. I was paddling going, “I have the strength of God. I am like Samson. I can do this.” Eventually my niece and I worked ourselves into a rhythm and got ourselves back to shore. The scene had concerned me more than I let on.
Later when I was talking to my dad on the phone, I guess I assumed I’d get some kind of sympathy. However my dad has been through an amazing amount in his life: survived being a grunt soldier for months in Vietnam, learned how to walk again when a tumor was removed from his spinal cord, survived two heart attacks and a stroke, and a bout of pancreitites. My dad is a survivor! He listened to my story and then responded with such a phrase that will forever stick with me. He said, “Well kid, sometimes you have to dig deeper and push harder.”
The Bible talks a lot about enduring and pressing on toward the goal. Matthew 24:13 (NKJ) says, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved“. Philippians 3:12(NKJ) says, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.” 1 Peter 5:8 (The Message) says, “Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.”
Situations in life will occur that you can easily get you so worn down that you can want to give up. My dad always says that you can “lie down and die or get up and fight.” His raw grit and determination has always been an inspiration to me over the years. There have been many times in my life where I can hear him say, “Ann it’s time to dig deeper and push harder.”
God wants you to fulfill the call of God in your life, but sometimes you got to dig deeper and push harder to keep going. Sometimes you have to be that determined that you will not give up. When I was out in that canoe I had the same options. I had to determine that I was going to get my niece and daughter to the other side.
You have to choose to keep pushing forward because it’s worth it. Hebrews 11:6
says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” God sees your fight and your determination. It takes faith in what He has promised you to keep pressing forward but I promise you that you will get on the other side of this thing one day. Don’t give up! You’ve come too far now! It’s time to “dig deeper and push forward!”
It was decided on that particular day that I would take my oldest daughter who was six at the time and my niece who was thirteen out on the canoe for a nice boat ride. As I sat in the back of the boat to steer I got a little nervous. The sight was beautiful but if you know me you know I harbor a fear of alligators. Living in Florida has made me learn to be okay as long as they are far away, but going canoeing in Weikiwa Springs it’s common to see them, and hear them. You have to accept the fact your boating in waters that have them all over. This being the first time I’d done this without my husband around I was a bit scared but trying to be the brave adult in the boat. I put on a happy face and insisted we’d be okay. It was a beautiful day. The sun shone through the trees leaving it’s pattern on the water. We could see the turtles under the water and out sunbathing. I was avoiding the fact I’d already seen an alligator and hoped the girls didn’t start to get scared. About the time we decided to turn around the weather took a bad turn. The wind had picked up and was now going against us. It was starting to rain, and we got caught on a log. I started to freak out. I was trying to mask it out of my concern for the sake of my daughter and niece. I was not about to jump in that water and get us unstuck. I knew some people would do that but there were gators in that water! When I finally got us over the log the wind was picking up even harder. My niece was trying to row, but it seemed that we started to go in circles. She was trying to paddle one way and myself the other. The wind seemed relentless. Internally I started to panic. Let’s rewind here: I’m in gator infested waters, I have a 13 and a 6 year old in my boat whom I’m responsible for, and the boat isn’t moving no matter how hard I try to paddle. I started to pray. I could remember a sermon once Pastor Greg gave once years ago at Freedom that has always stayed with me about how we were created in God’s image so we can declare that we have characteristics of God. I was paddling going, “I have the strength of God. I am like Samson. I can do this.” Eventually my niece and I worked ourselves into a rhythm and got ourselves back to shore. The scene had concerned me more than I let on.
Later when I was talking to my dad on the phone, I guess I assumed I’d get some kind of sympathy. However my dad has been through an amazing amount in his life: survived being a grunt soldier for months in Vietnam, learned how to walk again when a tumor was removed from his spinal cord, survived two heart attacks and a stroke, and a bout of pancreitites. My dad is a survivor! He listened to my story and then responded with such a phrase that will forever stick with me. He said, “Well kid, sometimes you have to dig deeper and push harder.”
The Bible talks a lot about enduring and pressing on toward the goal. Matthew 24:13 (NKJ) says, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved“. Philippians 3:12(NKJ) says, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.” 1 Peter 5:8 (The Message) says, “Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.”
Situations in life will occur that you can easily get you so worn down that you can want to give up. My dad always says that you can “lie down and die or get up and fight.” His raw grit and determination has always been an inspiration to me over the years. There have been many times in my life where I can hear him say, “Ann it’s time to dig deeper and push harder.”
God wants you to fulfill the call of God in your life, but sometimes you got to dig deeper and push harder to keep going. Sometimes you have to be that determined that you will not give up. When I was out in that canoe I had the same options. I had to determine that I was going to get my niece and daughter to the other side.
You have to choose to keep pushing forward because it’s worth it. Hebrews 11:6
says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” God sees your fight and your determination. It takes faith in what He has promised you to keep pressing forward but I promise you that you will get on the other side of this thing one day. Don’t give up! You’ve come too far now! It’s time to “dig deeper and push forward!”
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