His tiny hand kept trying. Stretching open, then pulling in to close. An endless cycle of ‘open-close-open-close’. He was trying hard to grab the sparkly item. It was just beyond his reach.
Three things stood out for me as I watched my 7-month old working at reaching this item.
He didn’t quit. He kept going and going, maintaining the intensity and earnestness in his reach. He kept his eye on the prize, not looking left or right. He was focused, figuring that if not this time, then next time, his efforts will pay off.
Adjustment is sometimes necessary. The little guy was just too far from the object of his desire. His arm only extends so far and not further. He needed to reposition himself so that he could reach his goal. Once he got a wee bit closer—jackpot! He reached his prize and was thrilled.
Goals are achievable. They’re meant to be set high, so that we’d have to reach. When we make the goals too easy to grab, we miss the chance to develop new skills and learn valuable life lessons. Sometimes we’re scared to set goals for ourselves. No one enjoys being a failure, especially when it comes to our goals. It gets discouraging to fall short. It is exhausting to begin again and again, especially if we’re too stubborn to adjust our methods.
Watching this scene unfold reminded me of Jesus. He reaches for me over and over again. He never quits and is relentless in His pursuit of my heart. I’m swimming in blessings and trials, both coming in a variety of shapes and sizes.
The goal? To strengthen my faith in Him and develop my character. So that I can be used for His glory.
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I’m joining the five-minute Friday linkup tonight. You can find our new home here.