CAN'T KEEP A GOOD WEEBLE DOWN

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going. Through suffering, these bodies of ours constantly share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. 2 Corinthians 4:8-10

It's always fun to remember the toys we played with as kids and the TV commercials that touted them. I remember one particular toy commercial that sang the praises of a toy that was often scattered across our living room floor: "Weebles wobble but they won't fall down." Little egg-shaped people with a weighted center could be knocked around for fun. The fun was in watching them wobble from side to side until they finally came to rest standing perfectly straight, exactly as they were before me and my siblings crashed into them like bowling balls.

Weebles were introduced in the early seventies and were intended to be miniature versions of the popular clown punching bag seen on Romper Room. My brother had a blue punching bag with a smiling clown face. No matter how hard you hit that clown, he always came back up for another shot.

Do you ever feel like a weeble? Getting knocked around by life is something we can't escape. Some people keep their wobbly moments to themselves and others express them openly, but everyone knows what stress, failure, disappointment and burnout feel like.

One thing I'm learning about life's let downs is that they only last as long as is necessary for God to accomplish something in me. There's always a reason for my set-backs. One of those reasons is so I can develop godly character.

God uses adversity to mold and shape us into the people He wants us to become. Hard times have a way of removing pride and self-centerdness. The storms of life strengthen our faith and enable us to serve others better. We're able to comfort and encourage those who face difficulties because we know what it's like to face frustration and hurt.

Anyone who is honest can relate to the weeble's wobble. And like the weeble, we can recover from life's knockdowns. When our center of gravity is Jesus, adversity may come to visit, but it will never take up permanent residence. Because of our faith, our strength is renewed and we can once again walk with purpose and direction. We may get knocked around by life's struggles, but we are never defeated by them.

I'm learning that adversity is actually good for me. It builds godly character, it humbles me and makes me a better servant to others. No matter how much I get knocked around by life's let downs, I know I'll be fine if I stand in the confidence of God's faithfulness. I have to believe that he will deliver me out of my afflictions because he promises to do exactly that (Psalms 34:19).

When God is my center, I may wobble but I won't stay down.