View Obstacles as a Challenge

THERE is an old saying: “A poor writer blames his pen.” And there is much truth in that adage. What is a man likely to do when he fails to accomplish that which he himself or others expected of him? Is it not to point to obstacles that caused him to come short, to blame his pen, as it were?

True, obstacles may have had a bearing on his failure, but were they the only factor, or did his mental attitude have something to do with it? Did he give up too easily? Was he too readily discouraged? Did he fail to try hard enough? Was he lacking in resourcefulness? Could be. Could be.

How large can these obstacles be and still be overcome? By way of illustration, back in 1969 the New York Metropolitan Opera company opened with the performance of “Aïda.” It was described as “grand” and as one that “showed what professionalism means.” But what was particularly remarkable about the event? The conductor. Two days before the performance he had fallen on the ice and broken his right arm. He met the challenge by conducting the entire opera with just his left arm, his right being in a cast. Overcome the obstacle? He certainly did!

There is no question about blindness being a serious obstacle, yet some blind persons overcome even this handicap. If he had dropped out or finished at the bottom of his class, one could have made excuses for the law student who was born blind. But not he. Of 970 students graduating, he was at the top of his class.

And what about the North Carolina farmer whose eyesight is so bad he can hardly tell day from night? He does his farming after midnight because then it is quiet. He operates a 250-acre farm and says “sound and my fingertips are my eyes. . . . My only problem is that people who help me sometimes try to take over, when I know I can do it better.” He can drive forty-five cattle from one pasture to another, can feed them and inject them with hypodermics and can even castrate bulls. “I can load the cattle more quickly and easily because they know me,” he observed.

Among other obstacles that people have faced up to are lack of a formal education, poverty and racial prejudice. While some have been discouraged by these obstacles, others have viewed them as challenges, which they have successfully met and overcome.

Now, you may never be faced with such obstacles, with such challenges, but under present world conditions you are bound to be confronted with other difficulties. For example, an obstacle to your doing your best may be misunderstanding or clash of personalities. This may be between members of a family, between an employer and an employee, or between fellow Christians. In such a situation, what should you do? Sulk, give in to self-pity or resentment and so keep from doing your best? Why not view it as a challenge? Be on the lookout for the suitable occasion to bring up the subject and reach an understanding with the other party. But if unable to clear up the situation, learn to ignore it. Develop a thick skin, as it were.

Or do you suffer because others fail to show appreciation for what you do? Appreciation may not be expressed by your marriage mate or by your parents or by your children for what you do. While expressions of appreciation are a real stimulus, an incentive to do our best, yet we can do our best even without them. Many of the prophets of old, such as Jeremiah and Ezekiel, received few if any expressions of commendation from their contemporaries, and yet they were outstanding servants of God. We see from the letters of the apostle Paul that he suffered at times from a lack of appreciation on the part of some, but what a fine example he set in zeal in the Christian ministry! (2 Cor. 10:10-12; 11:5, 6) Keep your self-respect and pride in your work. Also, keep reminding yourself that, as it was with his faithful servants in the past, so, too, in our day, God sees and appreciates your efforts.

The embracing of true Christianity in particular is a matter of meeting the challenge of obstacles. In Africa there are such obstacles as polygamy, intense tribal loyalty and worship of the juju. While giving up these practices may seem like an insurmountable obstacle to most Africans, yet literally hundreds of thousands on that continent have viewed these things simply as challenges and have overcome them to become Christian witnesses of Jehovah. And how glad they are that they have done so!

In other lands the challenge that must be faced by those who would become disciples of Jesus Christ includes alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling, and various forms of sexual immorality. Here, too, many thousands have overcome these obstacles to become Christian witnesses of Jehovah God.​—1 Cor. 6:9-11.

Having embraced true Christianity, one continues to face obstacles that must be viewed as challenges. One such is the opposition and indifference met up with in the Christian ministry. Such opposition does make the ministry more difficult, but is it any valid excuse for slowing down or quitting? Not in view of the many fine examples in the Bible of those who persisted in serving God in spite of such obstacles!​—Heb. 12:2, 3.

A Christian may have ‘resolved in his heart’ to engage in the field ministry the next morning or to attend a congregation meeting that evening. But then suddenly bad weather makes its appearance, or one suffers from some slight physical indisposition, both seemingly plausible excuses for not carrying out one’s resolve. But to follow the line of least resistance is to miss a blessing. In fact, by overcoming the unexpected obstacle one can be certain of added blessings, if for no other reason than that the greater the effort put forth the greater the satisfaction that comes with accomplishment.

Truly, obstacles are not things to be yielded to but challenges to be met and overcome!