"It ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward." Rocky Balboa '06Sometimes I feel like Rocky. Life has hit me a few times. I'm bloody, my eye is swollen ("Cut me, Mick!"), I've been beaten up and sometimes I may think I don't have the strength to get back up.
I get down on myself and I think "Loser!" But Rocky said something I really like. Being a winner isn't how hard you hit, it's how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. When life gets me down, I keep moving forward. I may be down, but I'm never down for the count.
In the orginial Rocky movie (1976) Rocky was explaining his relationship with his girlfriend, Adrian. He said, "she fills gaps." His friend Paulie asked "what's gaps?" Rocky explained "I dunno, she's got gaps, I got gaps, together we fill gaps."
I've got gaps, but Jesus died on the cross for me. His cross bridged the gaps in my life, to make way for me to go to heaven. Jesus filled my gaps.
So even though sometimes I feel like the picture of Rocky at the top of this post, exhausted and broken down; with Jesus on my side, I'm more like the Rocky picture posted below (after he just ran up the stairs). "Went the distance, now I'm not gonna stop. Just a man and his will to survive." (Eye of the Tiger)
With the help of God, I'm not gonna stop either.
Psalm 121:1-2 -- I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth
Ecclesiastes 4:9-11 -- Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
Luke 8:54 -- But he {Jesus} took her by the hand and said, "My child, get up!"
25 comments:
I'm feelin' "Cut me, Mick" today. Trying to hang in there. Not feeling very victorious.
Love this :)
Wow Kelly, I needed this post this morning. I am hearing this line from a Rocky song in my mind as I got to the end...Gonna Fly now... Thanks for the encouragement. Moving forward is always a challenge for a turtle girl. Have a great day with your family. Thanks again. B
Love this!! And those scriptures are wonderful reminders of how much He loves us. Thanks so much!!
Hugs,
Susan
Great post!
Love it! I"m with you girl.
I LOVE that picture! Arm in the air, jumping up and down! When the Israelites faced the Red Sea, they just saw what was in front of them. Since we know the "rest" of their story, we see what is in front of them knowing that it was soon to be behind them. I pray that for all of us, we would have that God perspective on life each day: Seeing what is ahead and knowing that we will eventually be on the other side of that Red Sea, or at the top of those stadium steps, doing a Victory Dance!
Thank you, Kelly! I needed this today. Lately, I have felt discouraged and you reminded me to keep getting up....
andrea
Yo Adrian. Great post today. I feel the same sometimes and then get depressed because I let myself get down and out. Lately though I am feeling that eye of the tiger. You think you can break me. "go for it".
From a Philly girl...where Rocky lived...."yo, how you doin'?"
Yesterday morning at church, General Boykin spoke about something similar. Amazing testimony!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn2S94CsGIE
Great analogy! It's easy to get down on ourselves, but we need to keep heading towards that finish line to claim the crown, and also to never weary of doing good along the way. You're so imaginative with your posts!
Ahhh...for a minute I thought you had stole a picture of me (or at least what I could look like right now. lol)
God is good to stay beside us and to put wonderful people in our path to help raise our arms when we don't have the strength to lift them ourselves. Raising your arms today in prayer, and thank you for continuing to get back up and fight the good fight. Your words touch many, (and many more to come). Blessings:)
..and I don't think 'The Gap' was even around when Rocky and Adrian were filling each other's Gaps...
I have always been a Rocky fan...and loved your parallel. Jesus fills the big gaps!
Psalm 121:1-2 -- I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
This scripture has been playing through my head for days now. Thanks for the encouragement my friend.
Love you!
Great perspective, Kelly! We can view Rocky when he's down or when he's the victor. Personally, I'd rather be the victor too.
God calls for us to do different things in these situations. Sometimes, we just need to be able to stand up, and He helps us move forward. Sometimes, we can't even stand up, but we need to be motivated to prayerfully ask Him to do that for us. And, other times, we really do need to take that big step out in faith--but He's there every time.
Like we were just reading in Proverbs, sometimes the end of joy is not all smiles. Earthly victory doesn't always come with the pumped up fist. But in our hearts, we need to know that Christ has truly secured the victory already, and His Word, as you have shared, reminds us of that truth. (I don't know any lines from Rocky, but, sticking with movie lines--"We CAN handle the truth!")
I LIKE THIS!
Melnie@Bella~Mella
Great post Kelly! If we keep getting back up, our story will have the same ending as Rocky's, "Yo Jesus! We did it!"
"But Jesus took her by the hand and said, "My Child, Get Up"."
I like that.
I know what you mean about feeling like you've been beaten up. But what a great attitude!
(I was going to add something about The Gap but I see Blase beat me to it, so I won't.)
Amazing!!!
I'm hearin' Adj-riennnne! I got gaps, that's for sure.
Good post.
Heidi
Hey Kelly,
Thanks so much for all of your encouraging comments about my Almost Story Post.
Your comments made it easier to write.
Yes I am preparing this into a talk...I can't not do it...like Jermiah this message has become a fire in my bones!
Are you coming to She Speaks? I'd love to find a time to meet you in person and hug your neck...you deserve it my friend!
Pamela
AWESOME!
Thanks for sharing. I'm sure all of us can truly relate!!! Love ya.
The verses you quote from Ecclesiastes has Mr. T's line "I pity the fool" running through my mind! (Rocky III)
I find that when I'm feeling knocked down, it's easier to get back up when I think of someone who has a situation that is worse than mine. Then I think to myself, "Why am I whining? I should be praying for and helping this person."
Post a Comment