There is a parable told of a farmer who owned an old mule. One day the mule fell into the farmer’s well. The farmer heard the mule in a frenzy neighing. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the old mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together, told them what had happened, and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the mule in the well in order to put him out of his misery.

Initially the old mule was distraught! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling, the dirt hit his back and a thought struck him. It suddenly occurred to him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back, he could shake it off and step up. 

This he continued, blow after blow. “Shake it off and step up…shake it off and step up…shake it off and step up!” He repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or how distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panic and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!

It wasn’t long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him actually helped him . . . all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

We can learn from that old mule. No matter what we face it’s how we respond to those problems. Today, you have a choice to refuse an attitude of self-pity, discouragement, and distress and instead put on a positive attitude of courage, peace, and perseverance. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!