Above The Line Article:
Rising Above Obstacles
By Erik Carlson
I don't know about you, but I have become very familiar with the sets of obstacles that stand in the way of me reaching my dreams. Today I'm talking about the obstacles that come from deep within myself: Fear, anxiety, lack of faith, focusing on the negatives as opposed to the positives in my life. The self-saboteur inside us is the most destructive enemy to living above the line.
So today, in an effort to give both you and me a jolt of inspiration, I am going to relay a story that my pastor has told several times in the past 10 years. Every time I hear it, I get both convicted and inspired. It goes like this:
There was a world war two pilot while flying over water heard a noise in the steering column of his airplane. He discovered that a rat was gnawing at the lines, and if the rat was successful, he would lose steering and crash into the ocean. Unable to get out of his seat to kill the rat, he thought about the problem, and came up with an idea. He thought to himself "rats are just vermin that do their damage scampering around the ground. I'm going to take this rat to a place it has never gone before." The pilot proceeded to climb in altitude. Finally, at 25,000 feet the gnawing noise stopped. The high elevation killed the rat. He proceeded to descend to his normal altitude, and avoided a catastrophe.
What are the rats in your life? The ugly ones that keep coming out of the woodwork when you least need them, and gnaw at the fabric of your being. They are sneaky, and can take you down below the line in a heartbeat. Whether they are fear, worry, self doubt, habitual stress, or your own special favorite; do like the pilot did, and just rise up. Rise above to heights that almighty God reins supreme, and bring them to a place that they simply cannot survive.
If you have read my special report, "Rise Above: Living above the Line", you will be familiar with my 3 life changing strategies to combat the battles that bring us all down. In short, here they are: Refresh your mind, Reveal your talents, and Refocus on the big picture. When we fall below the line, it is generally due to failing in one or more of these 3 areas. Developing these strategies into habits will successfully help you Rise Above in the quickest possible time. Let's fight like crazy to stay above the line. The price of dwelling below the line is just too big.
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