Life has a way of backing us into a corner at times.

If we were honest with ourselves, we would affirm life backs us into a corner much of the time!

Why do we find ourselves up against the ropes, dodging a right hook or a left jab, with an unending volley of punches landing with blunt force?

If the regular blows were not enough, every now and then a kidney punch or below-the-belt attack comes at us.

We are bloodied, bruised, and out of breath and would give anything for the bell to ring to simply get a break.

Round after round the scenario is repeated. If our battle was a typical boxing match it would have a specified duration of no more than fifteen rounds.

We could at least envision the end of the tunnel despite the hits we know we will take in the interim.

However, our battles are ongoing.   We may catch a periodic break, but for the most part we are under assault from one thing or another – constantly!

The life inside of us is opposed!

Rocky II opens with the end of the fight scene from the first movie.

The fighters are exhausted, bloodied, and awaiting the bell to signify the end of the fight which comes with Rocky “going the distance”, a defacto win for someone who had no business being in the same ring with the “champ”.

They vow there would be no rematch.

In our own battles, we would welcome such an aspiration – a once and done fight where we can take the money and run!

Rocky winds up with a severely injured eye and is advised not to fight again. This is akin to removing his heart.

He is a fighter.

His wife, Adrian, has reservations about any continued fighting career. They get married, have a kid, buy some “stuff”, and the money starts to run out.

Rocky takes on some jobs, manages for a time, and then gets laid off. He has responsibilities to attend to and needs to find a way to pay the bills.

The champ is ticked off that a no-name fighter took him the distance and re-thinks his “no rematch” stance.

He entices Rocky to fight. Rocky has reservations as the inner voices and pressures have him backed into a different kind of corner, one where he fails to see who he really is.

His head is not in the game or the fight. He is lost.

The script takes a dramatic shift with his wife in a coma due to complications with the birth of their son. Rocky is mentally and emotionally paralyzed and does not know how to punch his way out of this corner.

For all intents and purposes he is close to throwing in the towel.

Adrian awakens from the coma and provides Rocky the fuel he needs to do what he has to do.

More importantly, it is the motivation he needs to do what he wants to do – fight!

With Rocky at her bedside, she beckons him to come close and she says, “There is one thing I want you to do for me – win! Win!”

Most of us can see Rocky in our own mirrors on a daily basis.

I will not list a myriad of pressures or circumstances which back us into the corner.

All we need to do is peer into the mirror as we know the things which plague us.

A friend stayed at our home last week and could not have put it more eloquently in a subsequent post (as she overheard Rocky II playing in the background while at our place):

“Reality is sometimes harsh and scary…Reality, many times, is accompanied by waves of fear, waiting for the bell to ring (for the opponent) to pounce and pummel us to surrender and give up…Faith demands we look BEYOND our reality, (allows us) to refocus, and to get a grip and fight…Faith stands us up and pushes us to take reality to the mat…Faith (allows us) to fight and fight…and win!”

These are very encouraging words from someone who the very next day received a serious cancer diagnosis and is in a fight of her own – I honestly believe in my heart she has the upper hand on it.

Although initially shaken, she is throwing a few punches of her own because she knows the One fighting for her and the One who whispers in her ear – Fight!

If I could ask a favor, she would appreciate any prayers on her behalf.

Our friend had a choice. Cave in or rise up. She decided to the latter.

We need a spouse or a friend or even a complete stranger to tell us – Win! Win!

When contemplating the rematch Rocky’s trainer Mick, says “I think we need to knock his block off”, to which Rocky replies, “Absolutely!”

It was good advice for Rocky.

It is great advice for you and for me.

Whatever may be coming at you, “I think you need to knock his block off” to which you agree, “Absolutely!”

In what ways can you take a few swings of your own against those things which are coming at you?

Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons