It’s Not Time to Give Up Yet!

Recently, 64 year old Diana Nyad became the first person to successfully swim the 110 miles from Cuba to Florida without the use of a shark cage. In doing so, she truly became the embodiment of perseverance.

64 years old. 110 miles in shark-infested open waters. I get tired DRIVING 110 miles . . . I can’t imagine spending the 53 hours in the water that it took to swim it. Amazing!

But this was not her first attempt at the feat. Four other times between 1978 and 2012 she set out in hopes of reaching her goal. Each time something—pain, fatigue, jellyfish stings, tropical storms or other threats —got the best of her, and she gave up before she reached the Florida shore. But, this woman didn’t really give up. She just got out of the water, dried herself off and began the mental and physical preparation she needed to try it again.

She gathered together a team of experts and supporters to cheer her on and provide for her emotional and physical needs along the way. She trained even harder. Month after month, year after year she kept working at it until she finally tasted success.

She’s not the only one who has struggled with a seemingly impossible task. We all have challenges in our lives that we’ve tried and failed at so many times that we wonder why we’re still at it. We, like Diana, may get frustrated and put that dream on the shelf once in a while, but something deep within us says “pull it down again, we’re not done yet, keep pressing on.” And, with God’s help, if we keep at it, we will, one day, realize our own success and all the pain and disappointment that we’ve experienced along the way will fade in the light of that glorious victory.

“Don’t be discouraged by a failure. It can be a positive experience. Failure is, in a sense, the highway to success, inasmuch as every discovery of what is false leads us to seek earnestly after what is true, and every fresh experience
points out some form of error which we shall afterwards carefully avoid.”                        —John Keats (1795 – 1821)

“Now this I know: the Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand.” — Psalm 20:6

What personal goal have you reached through struggles and perseverance? Please share your success story in the comments. We would love to rejoice with you!