Pump It Up! Live Elated, Not Deflated Through Disappointing Daysنموونە

The Black Spot

In the book ‘Treasure Island’, those who received a piece of paper with a black spot on it meant they were officially being handed a verdict of guilt or judgment. Just as an honest side note, I literally learnt this from the film ‘Muppets Treasure Island’ and not the original! Boomshakalaka (if you know, you know - but if you don’t know, go and watch it!) The black spot was a source of much fear because it meant the person handed one was to be stripped of their leadership, or even killed outright.

Sometimes the situations we come up against in life make us feel like we’ve been handed a black spot. I felt a bit like that about my dinghy situation. Redundancy, followed shortly by a global pandemic, felt like a double black spot in many ways. So how do we move forward in faith when we feel like we’ve been handed a black spot in life?

I certainly believe it’s right to acknowledge the black spot and talk honestly about our feelings relating to it. However, as we talk through our issues with trusted people, I believe we also really need to grow in resilience. We need to try our best to throw away the victim label that can come hand in hand with a black spot, and find a positive way forward.

I remember taking part in some training where we were split into groups to share our current challenges and then pray for each other. As I shared my tale of dinghy woe, I heard other people’s trials, which were, in honesty, a lot more challenging than mine. Suffering is a part of life, and as hard as it is, we need to grow in resilience. Resilience is about developing strength and stickability in the face of struggle

Circumstances in life may well take the wind out of our sails. We must develop the inner strength and resilience to enable us to get back up, with the determination to find a way to row forward. We need to be strong and courageous, because our Almighty God is with us wherever we go. God is for us, he is on our side, we are more than conquerors in him - whether that feels true or not. If God can wash our sins as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18), then black spots are no match for him to wipe out either.

Reflection

Do you feel like you’ve been handed a black spot?

How can you grow in resilience to get up and row forward despite this?