Life Lesson #246~ Waking Giants

“Fear has two meanings: Forget everything and RUN or face everything and RISE. The choice is yours.” ~Zig Ziglar 

Life’s challenging. There's no sugarcoating it. I know I’m oversimplifying it, aren’t I? One day everything’s right as rain and the next? Well, let's just say, that same steady, comforting rain suddenly becomes a torrential downpour. Truth is everything about life is demanding. There’s no way around it. Life challenges us every step of the way and it rarely, if ever lets up. Even on the good days, we’re aware change is on the horizon. Really think about it. From the moment we take our first breath life confronts us with change and opposition. Like it or not, life is a crash course in the mastery of interference, difference and transformation. 

And the truth is, change is necessary. Sure, we can resist it all we want but this is the thing. Change will always get its way... one way or another. Transformation happens. Can’t get around it. Change transforms us either by force or by nudging us to bend ever so slightly. The bottom line? The choice is ours. We can embrace change, or we can fear it. It’s that simple. The power to bend or break is completely in our hands. Either we stare our giants down or we run from them. Change, no matter how hard we struggle against it, is inevitable and like it or not, change blitzes our lives with or without our consent. 

  

The day we’re born life sets us down a particular path. The road can be slippery, dark, uneven or all three. Our first steps might actually start out on solid ground, surrounded by bright lights before turning dim or into quicksand beneath our feet. Let's face it. Life can move us forward, backward or keep us idling in place for no other reason than a desire for new scenery. The truth is complicated but pretty simple. Mattias spelled it out perfectly in Disney’s Frozen 2, “Be prepared. Just when you think you found your way; life will throw you onto a new path.” And that’s where these immense hurdles we call giants come into play. 

So, who or what are all these giants everyone’s talking about? Are they real? And are they really savage monsters, hellbent on our complete destruction? Or could they possibly be more than just antagonists? Sir Isaac Newton sure seemed to think so. He didn’t appear to fear them. Doesn’t mean he didn’t respect the giants in his life, it just means he learned how to walk among them. Instead of cowering, the impression I get is that he learned to coexist with his giants. You tell me what you think? In his own words Newton comes across at ease with the challenges facing him. “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” Even the Bible talks about giants, right? 1 John 9:9 says, “The Lord is greater than the giants you face.” And believe me I get it. The giants in our way, can be alarming if not menacing. After all they are giants. 

Anna and Elsa faced giants in Frozen 2. Believe me they weren’t fun-loving, cuddly, Olaf who likes warm hugs. They were enormous, scary, aggressive and yes, formidable giants the size of a mountain and made of stone. But you know what? As in real life, the Earth giants of Frozen 2 were ominous, there’s no disputing that. But you know what? They were also neutral. That’s kinda how life is too. 

See, this is the thing. We gotta stop looking at all the giants around us as our enemies. Rather, we need to refocus. See them as part of the solution instead of just an obstacle in our way. Fear is powerful. Elsa herself said, “Fear can’t be trusted.” Translation in the real world. Fear and doubt are very dangerous entities. So, my question is this. Have you ever stopped to think we need the giants in our lives? Who knows? Like Anna and her Earth giants, ours might just be able to help us do the right thing too. You never know, it’s very possible those same sleeping giants in your way, aren’t necessarily working against you, but with you. 

My advice? The next time your giants wake up, don’t hide. Stand right up next to them. Walk with them. After all, Christine Caine is right. “The giant in front of you is never bigger than the God inside you.” Take it from me. A life without a little bit of struggle, never really finds its purpose anyway. Truth is we’ve gotta fall to rise, break to heal and fail to win. It’s just that simple.  

Just a reminder. Miracles can and do happen all the time. Giants wake, fall, knock down walls and lift us up on their shoulders. All depends on the day really. I know we’re talking about metaphorical giants here. And I realize water doesn’t part itself anymore and it hasn’t turned itself into wine recently either. Still, miracles and giants show up every day. And even if you don’t recognize God’s miracles right away, I’m here to tell you, they’re happening all around you. Sure, those sleeping giants up ahead are bigger than you and I are, but so is hope.  

And so here we are. At the end of Life Lesson #246~ Waking Giants, and the beginning of a whole new journey. You’ve got a big decision ahead of you my friend. You can either run and hide or you can stand up and face those mountain sized giants in your way. It’s up to you. So, what’s it going to be? Wanna wake up those giants? I do! Let’s look past them, and instead of being afraid, how about we hold onto God’s promise of hope? After all, the sun will rise tomorrow. I promise. Go on. Look those giants in the eye and take off running into the unknown.  

“Let it be hard. Let it be scary. And then do it anyway.” ~Melissa Camara Wilkins 

 ~Merida Grace