Your worst enemy lives within

By Ellen Shuck

"I'm a failure," John sadly lamented. John had applied to numerous colleges. He had been accepted at some, but his first choice was denied. John felt quite a shock because he had excelled in Boy Scouts, school, and in other leadership positions. His grades were superior, but evidently did not satisify his chosen school. John judged himself as being a failure.

Jim's family couldn't find a home they wanted. They became discouraged because time was running out and Jim had to report to his new job soon. "I don't know why we can't find a home. Am I being cheap in my offers?" Jim wondered, and he almost raised his bid because he told himself he was the one at fault. Jim became despondent.

Kara was bored with her life. Her job had become repetitive and stagnant. She needed more money, she thought. Her children were getting ready to leave her nest. "My life is over, I have little to look forward to without my kids. I'm just a mess. I may as well give up," she convinced herself.

Those are three examples of ordinary happenings in the lives of most. The people, themselves, gave up. They placed their stamp of disapproval, judgement and conviction on themselves. No one else predicted such a negative outcome on their success, failure, or bad luck. John, Jim and Kara, all, defeated themselves -- within.

We have to be careful of how we allow ourselves to think. I can't stress the power of our thoughts enough. We can make or break our future, our desires, and/or successes or failure by what WE tell ourselves. Proverbs 4:23 (NCV) says, "Be careful what you think because your thoughts run your life."

John titled himself a failure because he was turned down by one college. He neglected to remember all the other successes he had earned, with God's help. He is a great kid, being well-rounded in the important qualities one seeks in a young person. He has a wonderful reputation among both peers and adults. Disappointments happen to all of us, but it's our choice how we handle them. Partly because of his immaturity, John chose to depress himself. He became his enemy rather than his friend.

Jim was a father and husband and a hard worker. His family had tried to find a house large enough to accommodate four children and the couple. The purchase of every dwelling they liked went awry. Jim was retiring from his original job and trying to find another. It seemed nothing was going right.

I've found, it's after that seemingly never-ending darkness, that the sun shines brightest. Things begin to fall into place like items crossed off a list. We're often shocked that God was always in our corner ready to rescue us. He was there with arms outstretched, all during our trials. Its then, we realize it's we, that's caused our misery. We can always depend on our higher power to sustain us. An especially encouraging Scripture, from which I draw comfort is. "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand" (Isaiah 41:10 NLT).

During my last example concerning Kara, I saw a woman enduring familiar and usual circumstances that many of us encounter. The empty nest is very difficult to experience for many. Others welcome the circumstance.

Although Kara's attitude was affecting her negatively, it's difficult to welcome bad fortune without becoming discouraged, but don't become your worst enemy by judging yourself, personally.

The monsters within our lives, indeed, lie within each of us. You continue hiding in the darkness failing to move forward, or you venture forward into the light. It's not the fear from the outside that destroys one, rather the fear inside.