Candida Sullivan: Accepting His challenge is a choice

Published 3:00 pm Thursday, January 19, 2023

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BY CANDIDA SULLIVAN

Contributing columnist

Yesterday, as I put on my shoes and went for my daily walk, I struggled. My left hip, leg, and foot were hurting. And the last thing I wanted to do was walk for 45 minutes. To say I am over the 75 hard challenge is an understatement. After doing the challenge for 57 days, I have proven to myself that I can do it. So now it’s just a matter of showing up and doing it. But I really didn’t want to do it.

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With a frown on my face and ugly thoughts in my mind, I started my walk. Each time the cold wind blew in my face, I wanted to scream. I knew if I continued with my bad attitude, my walk wouldn’t benefit me, so I decided to change my thoughts.

We don’t have to feel like doing something to be able to do it. I decided to do this challenge, and I will finish it. God put this on my heart for a reason, and instead of hating every minute of this walk, I will embrace it and be grateful.

As I started searching for things to be grateful for, more things came to mind. I recapped my journey. I worked out at midnight, in the rain, snow, and 6-degree weather, and even while a goat chased me. I’ve laughed, prayed, cried, and been inspired on my walks. During this challenge, I received the idea for my new book and clarity for my life’s work.

The enemy wants to steal what God has purposed just for us. He will cause us to be sad over our blessings. Doing this challenge with the Lord is a blessing to me. And every single day, He has blessed me with exactly what I need to be able to do it.

The circumstance didn’t change. I still walked for 45 minutes. But my attitude and mindset changed considerably.

We can’t help having negative thoughts. After all, we are only human. But we get to decide if we want to stay in the negative thought pattern and cause ourselves misery.

I was making my walk more challenging than it needed to be because of my attitude about it all. I resisted it and caused myself unnecessary pain. But my feelings changed when I embraced the challenge and changed my thoughts. The walk went from a burden to a blessing.

Throughout our day, we can do this as well. If we have a thought causing pain in our lives, we can decide to change it and choose a better thought. The circumstance won’t change, but our reaction to it will change.

We give the enemy so much power by choosing to embrace negative thoughts. We believe that since it is true, we must stay in pain. But we have the beautiful gift of deciding to break free at any moment. No one can make us believe anything but us. We can dismiss the hurtful ones at any point and search for something better.