A warrior's first conqueror, a student's greatest defeat, a worker's highest disability, a believer's most potent doubt, a doctor's last fight.

Life could sometimes be described as a tournament with everyday presenting its own challenge. There’s work to do, there are deadlines to meet, people to impress, goals to achieve; otherwise, there is time to account for. Ever so often, we go about these duties mindlessly, so full of a conviction that they are what we should do, and they are integral parts of our existence in this present time. There seems to be no stopping -or even slowing – us, as our drive is so strong that it blurs out every doubt that could possibly exist. If only these days would last forever…

However, the blurry days appear every now and then. They seem to sneak on us completely unnoticed with a sort of cumulative compulsion. The future does not look so clear anymore and the path to it looks even darker – and cloudy too. Everything we have worked or lived for seems like a mirage and we are not so sure of why or what we are doing: wherever it is we are or whatever it is that we are doing. So subtly, yet fiercely, the enemy comes in the cloak of futility and asks us the questions we asked ourselves at the beginning. Only now, the answers seem to be lost on our frail memories or our minds have taken a vacation altogether. It is at this very point that the soldier returns home or gives in to the fight. The mother abandons the child she has given her all to care for yet, the teacher gives up on the patiently tutoring the child who is different than others, and the student gives in (first in the mind) to the possibility of failure or mediocrity.

Futility is an enemy we must fight and resist with all we have.

Our first weapon would be a knowledge of its existence from the outset. This acknowledgement can help us to set the stage if we use it as a reminder to document the reason for the journey, our joys and hopes and convictions. Then, we can turn this foe into friend by takin advantage of its visitation to remember why we first begun and count  the victories we have accomplished. Small victories count too, in fact every tiny step that has moved us forward from our first point in the direction of the set goal is something to recall. It would help to put pen to paper or find a friend with whom we could look back. The most important thing is that we give ourselves an occasion to recount with a clear vision and celebrate our purpose and previous accomplishments in its pursuit. This would help us look upward with thanks and forward with renewed determination and hope – that if we could come as far as we have, then we can finish.

This is not to say that somethings cannot be done away with even in the middle after a honest evaluation and assessment. However, before giving up or in, we’ll need to make sure that we are doing so with the same optimism and resolution with which we started off and not simply giving in to the enemy. The purpose must be firm, fore-front and unshaken. If it has to be given up, let it be that it never was worth it. This may happen once in a while but it is rarely ever the general’s tale. And we actually are generals more than we know for in the end, all we are is a product of the things we have done – over the days and years.

God’s purpose is that we live as victors in everyday and keep our spirits unbroken no matter what comes our way. It is our duty to live for all we believe and let no robber keep us from all we were made to be – and do. Not even futility can, if we refuse to let it live.

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay