Do you ever feel like you’re stumbling through life?  Are you familiar with Kung Fu Panda?

It is a kids movie that came out a few years ago.  It is very popular with children, just ask mine, and is a fun story set in ancient China with talking animals fighting evil.  The plot revolves around a bumbling panda named Po who aspires to be a kung fu master (the good guy).  Po is funny but appears to have no chance of ever coming close to a kung fu master, much less being one.  The entertaining part is even with his bumbling mistakes, lack of ability, and knowhow, Po still ends up doing what no one else can.  He becomes the great kung fu warrior in spite of his glaring weaknesses and in reality those weaknesses are used for his benefit.  The reason I tell you all this is because I keep seeing an image of Po falling down the steps, tripping on something, landing in the perfect spot, and finding incredible success and victory.  With the bumbling image I hear in my heart the Holy Spirit say, “Trust me, I can use mistakes for your good.”  I love that God can meet us in the midst of our struggles and weaknesses and still use us to shine with His glory.

I think people find Po a likable character because we can all relate to him to various degrees.  That can be double-edged.  If we laugh at our shortcomings and walk in faith knowing God has our back and will use all things for our good, as it says in Romans 8:28, then it is a very good thing to relate to.  If we let our shortcomings appear as a reflection of who we are or our worth then that is a terrible pit of despair to fall into.  Some would say that is a dilemma.  I would say that is a “Y” in the road of life.  We are the ones to choose which direction we go.  Life is built upon a myriad of small daily choices, which after some time we look back and see how we’ve arrived at our destination.  To change our path is only found in changing our daily actions.  There is no magic wand that can be swept over us to take us to a new life.  When you spend years of making choices the only thing that will get you to a better destination, barring a miracle, is making better choices day after day.

Each day we are faced with blessings and curses, life and death.  Today choose Life. Lift your hands with thanksgiving and praise knowing God is for you.  When God is for you then victory is sure.