In the famed Karate Kid series, underdog Daniel has to overcome seemingly unsurmountable odds to defeat an unethical yet powerful foe. Time after time Daniel is pounded to the ground and it seems there is no hope of achieving success. Much attention is given to the final scene where the badly wounded Daniel returns to competition despite the recommendation of the physician. In a daring move he assumes the ‘Crane’ position, jumps into the air and defeats his charging foe with a single front kick to the chin. While this is an utterly amazing feat, I think it is not the point of the story. The point is Daniel didn’t stay down. He got up. Time after time he got up to face the new challenge, believing that truth and goodness will prevail.

Life is like that. Not many people escape the ongoing attack of at least one daunting foe. Be it a physical challenge that lasts for a season or for a life, an emotional challenge to stay positive, a relationship disappointment that seems hopeless. . . foes confront us and often knock us down. The question is, do we stay down. It is tempting, especially when to get up means certain continued pain. Staying down seems to be the more comfortable option. I’ve been there, haven’t you? Sometimes it takes me an hour strugglng to find courage to get up out of bed and walk to the recliner, or to take a bite of food I know will upset my stomach.

But we can’t stay down for long because the agony of hopeless defeat will crush us more than the attacks of our foe. At some point we have to get up if only to endure the day. (and then again tomorrow and the next day)

Where do we find the strength to get up in such demanding situations? It must be in believing the truth that is found in what is unseen, not in the lie that is presented before us: It does matter that we get up. Our efforts are not wasted. Whatever we face is not the whole story. There is more that remains to be revealed to us. We might not win this battle, we might not be healed in the way we desire, but we must not lose heart. We have to get up.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18