My girlfriend sent this story to me last week. She said she chuckled a bit as she read it because it resonated with both our desires, no matter what life may bring, to choose living life with joy, optimism and our inability to never give up. 👍 We’re both kind of stubborn that way🤣 I believe this is the way our Savior wants us to live... He has asked us to be like Him, right? So do you think He walks around Heaven sad and morose? Ah, NO! He is filled with light, love, joy and happiness! Some of the biggest roadblocks to happiness and joy are doubt, discouragement, and despair. Doesn’t it makes sense that if we doubt ourselves we won’t take the chances that we sometimes need to take? Thomas Edison was someone who chose not to doubt. He was one who didn’t see the enormous obstacles in his work, but instead remained positive and true to his vision. This story she sent to me, was one with the most potential for discouragement I’ve ever read, yet it was Edison’s turning point.
Thomas Edison devoted ten years and all of his money to developing the nicks-alkaline storage battery at a time when he was almost penniless. Through that period of time, his record and film production was supporting the storage battery effort. Then one night the terrifying cry of fire echoed through the film plant. Spontaneous combustion had ignited some chemicals. Within moments all of the packing compounds, celluloid for records, film, and other flammable goods had gone up with a roar. Fire companies from eight towns arrived, but the fire and heat were so intense and the water pressure so low that the fire hoses had no effect. Edison was sixty-seven years old-no age to begin anew. His son Charles was frantic, wondering if he were safe, if his spirits were broken, and how would he handle a crisis such as this at his age. Charles saw his father running toward him. He spoke first.
He said, “Where is your mother? Go get her. Tell her to get her friends. They'll never see another fire like this as long as they live!”
At 5:30 the next morning, with the fire barely under control, he called his employees together and announced, 'We're rebuilding.' One man was told to lease all the machine shops in the area, another to obtain a wrecking crane from the Erie Railroad Company. Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, “Oh by the way, anybody know where we can get some money?“ (paraphrased from Charles Edison, 'my most unforgettable character,' Reader's Digest December 1961, pp. 175-77)
Virtually everything you now recognize as a Thomas Edison contribution to your life, came after that disaster. A disaster I think I would have not recovered from.
I wondered after I read this, “Why didn't Thomas Edison quit?” Doubt and discouragement seem like a logical place to go after EVERYTHING was destroyed but instead he started over, immediately, and realized great success! When we realize doubt, discouragement and despair are not Godly attributes we can replace those feelings with positive ones as soon as we are faced with them.
One thing I know for sure, the Lord wants us to succeed and He never wants us to give up! He will show us the solutions to all our difficulties if we just humble ourselves and ask. And then if we are patient (that’s the tough part 😉), it will all come together. A favorite scripture of mine is from Proverbs 3:5-6...
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy path.”
Looking back, I have made life much harder by trying to do things by myself, but when I just let go and let Him lead me, everything moves forward more smoothly and feels so much more peaceful and right.
Sunday is a day of rest… Let’s reset our minds and hearts from discouragement and acknowledge God‘s hand in ALL things. Following God's plan for us will always bring us lasting joy and happiness! 😊♥️
Have the best day ever! #SundayMessage