Introduction
I never will forget that day. We had all the belongings we could carry in our car. We were driving down the street trying to figure out what we were going to do. We had no where to go. We couldn’t believe it. Had we now become part of the homeless population? As my husband and I retreated to the decision that at least we can go to a hotel for the night, the car suddenly stopped. We looked at each other as our daughter sat in the back seat and asked, “What are we going to do now? Where are we going to live and how will we get there?” Our hearts melted on the spot. We had hit the bottom.
The bottom. In Webster’s it is defined as “the lowest part of something; the lowest part or place”. I had so many bottoms in my life. As I mentioned earlier, I had went through homelessness, repossession, foreclosure on a home, lay off from jobs, and so many situations where life trials knocked the wind out of me. I had often looked at my life’s situations as failures. I would often ask myself questions like:
• How did I get so low?
• Will I ever rise up again?
• Why is this always happening to me?
I often think back to the many New Year’s that we had and said that this year would be better. We entered each year with a bolder determination to rise above anything that would come our way. There would be someone saying “It is about to turn around”. However, the year would bring many challenges and again the wind would be knocked out of us. We reached the bottom again. Where was our hope when time and time again we were knocked down. We had hit rock bottom. Again.
I still had many bottoms in my life. In this teaching, I would like to share with you the principles I have learned to follow when the bottom drops out due to situation and challenges in my life. I have put these principles into practice to live “on top” even when the bottom drops out.
Principles for Living on Top
1. You have a purpose on this earth. You are not here by accident.
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
I don’t care if you were adopted, don’t know your parents, and was conceived in the back of a 1967 Plymouth car – there is a divine plan for your life.
I don’t think anyone is here on this earth to waste space. The issue is that many of us have gifts and talents that we never tape into.
Many say that the greatest resources on earth are in the graveyard! They never taped into their abilities or used their gifts or talents in the earth. I wonder if the cure for cancer or the greatest doctors ever got a chance to express themselves when they were here on the earth.
You are important and have gifts and talents. You are here for a reason. Ask God to show you your gifts and talents. Then start investing time to cultivate them and start looking for ways to use them.
2. Accept that life’s challenges happen to everyone.
He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Matthew 5:45 (NIV)
I use to think that I was the recipient of bad luck. I use to have what I call “pity parties” where I was the only guest, with the birthday hat on and dialoguing with myself. I would rehearse the cake incident for 20 years.
Many of you are missing opportunities in life because you think life is just hammering at you only. However, take a moment to start talking to someone else and hear their life story.
I recently broke my shoulder and was crying everyday about how I couldn’t use my arm. I went into a bank one day and met a bank teller who only was born with three fingers on each hand. She had a presence and smile about her and didn’t let her limitation stop her. She counted my money and was going on with life. Here I was crying about a shoulder that could be repaired! I am not saying that just because someone else has a worse situation that you that you should feel happier about yours. I am saying that you have to see that life challenge’s happen to everyone. There will always be obstacles to overcome and limitation that try to stop you.
But don’t let it stop you. You need to get up and keep going. That’s the spirit of a fighter and not a quitter.
3. Be patient – everything is working out for you.
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:14 (NIV)
A few years ago I wanted a new couch. I must admit that I didn’t have the $2,000.00 on hand to purchase it. So I convinced my husband to go to one of these “rent” furniture places. We paid a certain amount for the couch for about a year. At the end of the year, I was so happy that we paid it off. However, I really didn’t look at the cost. We ended up paying double for the couch. Most of us have what I called “instant gratification”. We want it now so we devise plans to go get it.
I should have waited and we wouldn’t have ended up paying double for the couch. I needed to have more patience to get it. Think about if I had saved up for the couch in that year. I would have saved a ton of money for other things.
Patience is a key to getting everything you ever need.
4. You must believe that there is greatness inside of you.
A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men. Proverbs 18:16 (NIV)
Recently I read the story of Ben Carson’s life in a magazine. When he was a little boy, he wasn’t such a good student. However, his mother was committed to see her son’s succeed so they had to read a certain amount of time everyday. He wasn’t the greatest student but through time, he became an honor student. Who is Ben Carson – he is one of the number 1 surgeons in the world. He led the team to first separate co-joined twins.
Ben Carson’s mother didn’t quit. She saw the greatness in her son’s and continued to be steadfast in her commitment to see her sons successful.
5. Try again no many how many times failure tries to hit you in the face.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26
Let me share with you my story of the “Great Cake Bake”.
The great cake bake is the story of the day I was to prepare the ultimate cake for Thanksgiving dinner with my new in-laws. I mean this cake was going to be better than Betty Crocker could imagine. I remember waking up on Thanksgiving Day to beginning my quest and adventure in the great cake bake. I put in all the right ingredients, mixed up the cake fix in the allotted time, and baked at the appropriate temperature as stated on the cake box. I was so happy when the cake came out looking absolutely perfect.
When we arrived at my in-laws for dinner, they raved at how the cake looked wonderful and couldn’t wait to eat it. Time for dessert came and we sliced the cake only to find that it was too thick - Yuk. I was so mad. I did absolutely the right thing and followed the instructions to the minute detail and this happened to me! I vowed at that moment never to bake a cake again the rest of my life but to order cakes. The bottom dropped out because it didn’t come up as I had expected. After this incident, I didn’t bake a cake for more than 20 years!
Can you see where I let the failure of the cake stop me from baking for 20 years? What has caused you to quit and give up? Perhaps it is difficult for you as a single parent to finish school. Perhaps you don’t have the finances today to start that business and now banks are constantly turning you down for the loan you need.
Don't give up. If you keep pursuing and enduring until the end, you will see the manifestation of your dream!
6. When you are at the bottom, there is power in getting up.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58 (KVJ)
Do you remember Mohammed Ali? Can you imagine if he would have gotten in the ring and everytime he was knowcked down, he didn't get up? Then he would not be noted as one of the world's greatest boxers!
I want to say this to you todaY; “Get up no many how many times you hit the bottom! There is power in getting up and keep on moving”. Don’t quit. You must have the tenacity to go on. Let me tell you how:
• Stand up.
• Put your left foot out in front.
• Now move y our right foot out in front.
• Next put your left foot out in front.
• Now move your right foot out in front.
• What’s this called? Walking. In other words – keep moving!
7. Flock with people who will encourage you to stay on top.
In multitude of counselors there is safety. Proverbs 24:6 (KJV)
There is a saying that bird of a feather flock together. Are you walking with people who are positive over your situation or negative over your situation?
You will have basically two types of people around you:
Those who are with you will stick with you through thick and thin no matter how tough it gets. They are there to encourage you to never give up or quit – or - Those who will tell you that you can’t make it and to give up.
As you can see, your choice of friends can “make you” or “break you”. That’s why I don’t stay on the telephone too much with people. If you stay on the phone long enough, they will start speaking negatively about a situation.
Start hanging out with people who inspire you or push you to reach your destiny and purpose. Only let people speak into your life who can give you wise counsel to see our dream come to pass.
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I just wanted to remind you that you may get knocked down. You may get distracted. You may lose your focus... but don't you dare quit!
