I think of something that the famous actor Charlton Heston once said about the filming of the great movie from 1959, "Ben Hur." As you probably remember, the movie has a dramatic closing scene of a huge chariot race. Charlton Heston was carefully coached how to drive a chariot by the famous stuntman Yakima Canutt. He had Heston practice driving the horses around the track for hour after hour.
He said to his chariot coach during a break, "Well, you tell me that I'm pretty good driving by myself. But what am I going to do when there are eight chariots out there all racing around? How am I going to handle that?" His coach answered, "Mr. Heston, I can promise you one thing. You just stay in the chariot and I guarantee that you’ll win the race."
Of course everyone knows the chariot race in "Ben Hur" was fixed. Charlton Heston was supposed to win. It was written in the script. He couldn't lose. But still, I like that line a lot: “You just stay in the chariot and I guarantee that you’ll win the race."
I believe that is also true for us in our walk of faith. Just hang in there. Don't give up. Don't throw in the towel and say, "That's enough. That's all I can take." Stay in the chariot and the victory is ours.
Have you been in a struggle lately? Are you thinking of giving up? May the famous words of the old English song, “Sir Andrew Barton” also be ours today: “I am hurt, but I am not slain. I’ll lay me down and bleed awhile. Then I’ll rise and fight again.”
It is my prayer that God will give us the courage and strength that we need to stay in the chariot and to never give up!