Focusing on the Part...or the Whole?

Written by Kevin Mills

A fellow walks into a gym and begins his "work-out" regiment only to find himself in the throngs of excruciating pain as each muscle fiber screams out for mercy. His face becomes a crimson red and perspirations pours from his face - and finally he breaks emotionally, yelling, "This is Not LIVING!!" Automatically everyone else in the gym immediately turns around and tries to intensely understand the cause of his out-burst.

Another person is observed entering their local City Hall to pay their annual property tax. While hesitantly retrieving their check-book they break down in tears and exclaim loudly, "This is not LIVING!" And immediately everyone around them focuses their gaze at their outburst.

Thirdly, (final illustration - I promise) a young lady is found in the pangs of her final labor-pains in the delivery ward. Doctors and nurses swarm around her as they administer the necessary elements fundamental to a smooth delivery. But after an extended period of time - she yells, "This is not LIVING!"….well, of course not! But it sure is an integral part of "life!"

These prior illustrations could be compared to a person holding a bolt from a car engine and proclaiming, "This is the engine!" - No, its part of it, but it is integral in making up the whole. How disappointing for a person to settle for the single bolt and miss the luxurious engine which is the whole! And so it is with struggles and challenges in life - they aren't the whole "engine of life" but part of what constitutes it and sometimes aids in making the whole 'better."

Physical exercise isn't wholly "living" but it sure helps the physical and mental "engine of life." Paying bills isn't wholly "life" but it sure is integral in maintaining some of the "niceties" of life. "Labor-pains" are not wholly "life" but are certainly intimately involved with the "birthing" of it. Personal challenges (i.e. relational, financial, occupational, spiritual, physical, etc.) sure don't constitute the "engine of life" - but they sure can be utilized as the stepping stone for the next day, week, month, year, or life. Apostle Paul gives us "good news" when he states that, "I consider…the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory…to be revealed to us" or in other words "the whole engine of life to be revealed to us."

Friend, your struggles and challenges are only "part of the machine" and not the "whole." Let's be careful to not associate a "component of life" as the whole of life, especially when discussing personal failures, stressors, or sufferings. As motivational speaker John Maxwell (2001) states in his book "Failing Forward," "Every major difficulty you face in life is a fork in the road. You choose which track you will head down, toward breakdown or breakthrough." Let's put things in perceptive - Your only holding one of the bolts of the "engine of life" in your hand….it isn't the whole!