Things from me (and someone else) to THINK about
“History repeats itself because no one was listening the first time.” // Unknown
“You will go through the same stuff until you grow through the stuff you are going through.”
A story to BE moved by
In ancient Greece, there was a skilled blacksmith named Demetrius who was known for his exceptional craftsmanship. Despite his talents, he struggled with the same problem repeatedly – his forge would always catch fire, destroying his work and causing him great distress.
One day, a wise old philosopher passing through the village heard of Demetrius’s troubles. He approached the blacksmith and asked if he could observe him while he worked. Demetrius agreed, and the philosopher watched carefully as he went about his daily tasks.
After observing Demetrius for several days, the philosopher noticed that he would always leave a pile of wood shavings near the forge. The philosopher asked Demetrius why he placed the shavings so close to the heat.
Demetrius replied, “I never thought much about it. It’s just where I’ve always put them.”
The philosopher then explained, “You see, life has a way of teaching us lessons. Sometimes, it repeats the same challenges until we learn from them. Your forge catches fire because you place flammable materials nearby. Until you change this habit, the problem will continue to recur.”
Demetrius took the philosopher’s advice and moved the wood shavings away from the forge. From that day on, his forge never caught fire again, and he continued to perfect his craft without interruption.
Something to DO right now
It’s essential to recognize that God will often allow us to experience the same challenges until we learn the lessons He’s trying to teach us. These lessons are meant to be instrumental in shaping our character and guiding our personal growth.
Where in your life are you like Demetrius? What have you been doing because it’s what you’ve always done? That may be the area you need to grow the most in.
Identify and work on one area of your life where you need to change your input so you can get a different output.
