Fainting Goats and Fainting Hearts

 

Have you ever seen a fainting goat?  I have and it alarmed me!  But ten seconds later, he was up and at ‘em -- cool, calm and collected.  One moment, they’re trotting along, minding their business, and the next -- BAM! -- they stiffen up and topple over like bowling pins. It’s both comical and bewildering. But why do they do it?

I found that fainting goats, or Myotonic goats, have a genetic condition that causes their muscles to freeze when they’re startled. It’s not pain -- it’s just a temporary reaction. Their legs lock up, they hit the ground, but after a few seconds, they shake it off and move on. 

Now, let’s talk about us.

Life has a way of startling us too, doesn’t it? A sudden loss, an unexpected bill, a phone call that changes everything. Fear and stress hit like a freight train, and before we know it, we’re on the verge of collapsing -- maybe not physically, but emotionally, spiritually, or mentally.

Even Scripture acknowledges that we can grow weary and even faint. Isaiah 40:31 reminds us, “But those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

What is it that we have in common with those fainting goats?  Well, they get back up.  They don’t stay down. And we, too, can stand back up, lean on God’s strength, and keep going. Stress, fear, and exhaustion may hit sometimes, but that doesn’t define us.

So, my dear friends, if today you feel like life is knocking you off your feet, don’t stay there. Take a deep breath, whisper a prayer, and get back up.  Because unlike those goats, we have a Savior Who holds us steady – even when life startles us!

This is not the time to faint, quit, or throw in the towel.  It’s time to stand.  I love Donnie McClurkin’s song “Stand”!  These are lyrics that I’ve held onto for a very long time!

“Tell me, what do you do when you've given your all;
Seems like you can't make it through? 
You just STAND. When there's nothing left to do.   
You just STAND. Watch the Lord see you through.
Yes, after you've done all you can,
You just STAND!” 

Don’t waiver, give up or give in!  Let’s be the conquerors God called us to be!