The
upside of being down
In 1920 Dr. Frederick Banting’s clinic was a failure. His dreams were
shattered as his clinic faltered and closed in London, Ontario, Canada.
Desperate for an income, he became a part-time assistant to Professor
Miller. One night while helping prepare a lecture on diabetes for the
professor, he got intrigued with an article on ‘The islets of Langerhans,”
which are regions of the pancreas that contains its endocrine. Back
then diabetes was fatal. Scientist knew that people with diabetes
needed a hormone secreted by the islets of Langerhans to balance their blood
sugar but no way had been found to extract the hormone and give it to patients.
Banting was consumed with the thought that there must be a way to extract the
hormone directly. Compelled by this thought, he found a way to
isolate it, which he later named “insulin,” Latin for “island.” In
1922, after intense experimentation, a 64-pound dying teenage boy named
Leonard was injected with insulin and immediately started gaining his weight
back Banting’s work saved this boy’s life and countless thousands
of others in the years to come. Looking back on his success,
Banting said, “Had I not failed in my one year at London, I might never have
started my research work.”
As missionaries, we must put “failure” in Divine perspective. There is an
upside of being down. As Paul declared in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9
We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is
from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but
not destroyed. (NIV) Nothing, absolutely nothing can rob our
joy. God has a plan. Always. Romans 8:28 clearing states, “And
we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those
who are the called according to His purpose.” (NKJV) Whatever
you are facing today, please remember that it’s not the final chapter of your
story. Years from now, you may reflect on this very moment saying
that it was the very catalyst that compelled you to your God-ordained
destiny! God is at work. He is working out His
purposes in your life. Be encouraged!
