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1 Thing I learned from The Revenant

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I watched the Revenant recently.

Revenant – someone who returns after a long absence (believed to be dead).

Fitting title for the film, but there is so much beyond this single description in its 2hr 36min. run time.

It’s a brutal, harrowing tale of a man trying to survive. It’s a chain of events. His fortune seems to go from bad-to worse-to despair, and I was reminded of all kinds of biblical heroes who encountered just such odds in Old Testament events – especially Job.

I know. It’s not even remotely accurate to compare DiCaprio’s role in a film to a man of God, but this one stuck with me as I read today’ devotional about blessings.

Would you agree that for a follower of God one of the hardest principles is being blessed and not straying from God after the blessing has occurred?

Like being in the woods with a compass and suddenly throwing the compass away once we see something familiar. It’s a similar self-reliance in our spiritual walk.

While God says, “Look to me and be saved…” (Isaiah 45:22), our inclination is to turn tail and run for what we believe to be higher ground.

Much like DiCaprio’s character in Revenant, we travel through life’s seasons getting beat down on more than one occasion, and these scars can wound us beyond repair if we allow them to. But, opposite to the physical fight of man’s battle with nature, the spiritual requires us to simply stop tugging on our own.

To admit, God is more than capable of handling your, mine, and our issues, if we let him.

 

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Repairs

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From a misaligned spine to my car clunk-clunk-clunking, it is evident that things break down.

Never in my life did I think aches and pains would rear their ugly head at me so soon. 30 years old. Alas!

2015 has brought the Boom! (Thank you P.O.D.)

I twist my back to the left and pop. The temporary pain has been appeased. Now, if only it would stay that way…away.

“I got no time for you back pain and old man problems. I need to be running 8-10 miles today. Doing something heroic.”

Like my poorly made Jeep, I find 8-10 miles a long distance to cover in my current shape. Running on a treadmill might’ve been the instigator originally. Whatever the reason, I am sidelined until things are put back into place.

“Friends, I love you. But, I can’t go into that mosh pit and be jostled around. Or, sit in a theater for 3 hours and watch Michael Bay blow stuff up. As much as I might want to.”

I have a newfound respect for those with permanent injuries, and yet, tote them around without grumbling or complaining.

I learn an important lesson through their silence and perseverance. They are mastering their obstacles and blazing new trails, despite their afflictions.

It is amazing, and I want to be more like them.

‘Thank you’ to those fighting through it. I can see something worthwhile in your example everyday.