The 5 Second Rule

I recently read a book about a Navy SEAL in which he described how rigorous the training was in order to become a SEAL. He recalled one exercise in which he was required to swim three miles in the ocean. When he reached the shore, his drill sergeant was waiting for him demanding 100 perfect pushups. He said that he did one, then two, then three before his sergeant said, “That’s ONE!” Each one had to be performed to the sergeant’s satisfaction which required absolute perfection.

It was during this unimaginable training that the SEAL learned the 5 second rule. He said, “I learned that I could endure anything for five seconds. Then I could endure for another five seconds. If I thought about what lay before me when I started… a three mile ocean swim and 300 or so pushups… I would have been done and hopelessness would have overwhelmed me. So I discovered that I just needed to do what I was doing in five second intervals. It worked for me. I survived and today I am a SEAL prepared for anything that combat threw at me.”

The prophet Isaiah knew what this SEAL learned in Isaiah 40:28-31:

Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. 29 He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. 30 Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. 31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Jesus is our life. Everything He is, we are. We are in Him and He is in us. We are fused and united with Him. We are ONE with Him. His strength is our strength. When we are weak, He is strong. He will be strong FOR us if we simply cling to, trust in, rely upon, and put our whole weight upon Him. He will give us what we need when we need it. He gives strength for the moment. He doesn’t give strength to put in a savings account. He gives when we have need, when we depend on Him, and when we simply ask Him for it.

A thousand-mile journey begins with one step. Then another step and then another. We have enough strength for one step. 5 seconds if you will. Just one foot in from of the other until we reach our destination.

Remember this: Life by the yard can be pretty hard. But by the inch it’s a cinch.

Blessings,

Kenny