Bruised and Battered Achievement

There are people who cannot handle the achievements, abilities or work ethic of others. I feel, in most part, these feelings come because their own ability is threatened by someone who is being successful. In order to compensate, this type of individual will criticize ideas, sabotage deadlines, and slander the reputation of anyone who may be a "threat" to their reputation or employment. Those who are on the receiving end of this form of abuse will get battered, bashed and belittled along the way. The whole point of this attack is to get one to quit...to give up, surrender, and become an ordinary, unrecognized, average employee. It is easy to see why those who work diligently, ethically, and above-the-norm are faced with discouragement, disappointment, and betrayal due to a myriad of attacks from others who feel threatened by your abilities. I like what Chuck Swindoll said when he wrote, "Every achievement worth remembering is stained with the blood of diligence and scarred by the wounds of disappointment. To quit, to run, to escape, to hide -- none of these options solve anything. They only postpone reckoning with reality. Every journey is accomplished one step at a time. Don't stop now!" Despite all that others will do to discourage us into quitting let us hold to the words of Colossians 1:23, "Continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast." May the ill attempts of others be your barometer to gauge that you're on the right path. You must be, or they wouldn't be working so hard to stop you!