Elect Lady's Corner

Sometimes, it seems like we’re living life in our merry ole way, and all of a sudden, we’re hit with a curve ball. Not just one curve ball, but it seems like one after another they keep on coming!  Now, a curveball is a term “that comes from baseball, where the pitcher tries to fool the batter by throwing the ball with a sufficient spin to make it veer from its expected path.” 

But, what do you do when that happens to you? Should you run, dodge, hide, seek, or be resilient? Well, really, you should do all 5! The first thing you should do, is to run to Jesus, having the confidence that He will help you. 

Hebrews 4:16: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that ye may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need.” Then, sometimes you have to “dodge a bullet” i.e.: “to have a narrow escape; to avoid injury, disaster, or some undesirable situation.” A bullet can be fatal, so you certainly want to dodge being hit by it! That’s why Proverbs 4:14-15 said: “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, Turn from it, and pass away.” 

Next, you need to find a good hiding place, and your hiding place should become your dwelling place.  Psalm 91:1 said: “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” And Psalm 17:8 said: “Keep me as the apple of the eye, Hide me under the shadow of Thy wings,” Then, you have to be importunate and seek God! 

Jeremiah 29:13 said: “And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all thine heart.” So, don’t give up on your prayers, but continue to seek God until He answers you. David said in Psalm 40:1-2: “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” 

Job also said “All the days of my appointed time will I wait, Till my change (or answer) come.” (Job 14:14b) Lastly, it is imperative that you do this last thing!  St John 13:17 said: “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” It’s not enough to read about what to do or just hear it, but now you must apply what you’ve heard. 

So, how do you react to the curve balls of life? You must be resilient! Resiliency is: “the ability to overcome challenges of all kinds i.e. trauma, tragedy, personal crises, and just everyday problems, but be able to bounce back stronger, wiser, and with more determination.” So, to become resilient is a necessity! 

So, when I think of resilient people in the Bible, Apostle Peter comes to mind! He had good intentions, but many times horrible reactions. Peter certainly meant well and counted it a privilege and honor to be one of Jesus’ disciples. Everything was going well until Peter was hit with unexpected curveballs. Peter was the only disciple who asked Jesus to walk on water, but as he walked on water, he became fearful and his faith failed so he began to sink. 

Then, Jesus commended Peter because he was the only one of the Apostles, to answer his question when Jesus asked “Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?” But, afterwards, Jesus told the disciples the many things that he must suffer, be rejected, and die for, but He would be raised the 3rd day. Peter then rebuked Jesus and said “No! these things will not happen to you.”

But, Jesus responded to Peter in Matthew 16:23 saying: “…Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” Then again Jesus spoke to the disciples in Mark 14:27-31 and told them they all would be offend and deny Him, just as it was written: The Shepherd would be smote and the sheep would scatter.

But again, Peter spoke up and said to Jesus: “Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.” Jesus responded to Peter: “… this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny Me thrice;” and certainly Peter denied Him 3 times. It is also written that after the crucifixion, Peter, along with some of the other disciples returned to their former occupation of fishing, (seems like Peter left the ministry). 

But, at the end of the day, even though Peter was thrown all these adverse curveballs, we discover he was resilient. He later had 2 of the greatest revivals in the Bible: 3,000 souls saved in one day and 5,000 souls saved another day. He became one of the primary Apostles in the New Testament and Jesus called Peter the rock, He would build His church upon. So, when you’ve been thrown curveballs in life, learn to be resilient and bounce back or should I say, “fight back.”