Shake it Off

"Count it all joy, my brothers,

when you fall into trials of any kind…"

James 1:2

There is a story from bygone days about a farmer who had an old mule who fell into a well. The farmer heard the mule braying and came to its rescue. But after sizing up the situation, the farmer, decided that neither the mule nor the well were worth the trouble it would take to save either. Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened along with what he had decided to do; bury the old mule now and put him out of his misery. This, the farmer said, would be the humane thing to do.

The men immediately got to work and began burying the mule. Of course, the mule became panicky at first. However, as the farmer and his neighbors continued to shovel dirt on him, a thought came to the old mule; every time the men shoveled dirt on his back, he would shake it off and take a step up!

Now the mule did this following each shovelful of dirt that was pitched into the well. Shake it off and step up. Shake it off and step up. Shake if off and step up. No matter how distressing the situation seemed or how painful the falling load of dirt felt, the old mule fought his panic and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up.

Thus, it wasn't very long before that old mule stepped triumphantly over the wall of the well! What appeared to be the end for this mule was actually just another chapter in its life and what was meant to bury him actually blessed him.

Isn’t that how life often is for us? Instead of our trials burying us, when we face them, keeping a positive attitude and refusing to give up, while asking the Lord for His strength, we become overcomers. Let us never give in to bitterness or self-pity, but rather look our difficulties straight in the eye and then, “shake it off and step up." We will soon begin to see the adversities of life that threaten to "bury" us as laden with potential benefit and blessing, as we use the tools of forgiveness and faith, prayer and praise.

It may be that "the well" you find yourself in can teach you more about your Heavenly Father and just how much you need Him. So, instead of murmuring and complaining, let us “count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into trials of any kind” (James 1:2).

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