I once overheard a saying from an old proprietor of some local store in rural Arizona: “Sometimes, life takes you up Shit Creek.”

A year ago I wrote What the Book of Job Really Means, my interpretation of the classic story of suffering mentioned in the Bible. Since then I’ve had a few other experiences that make me further believe in this interpretation.

I believe that sometimes life gives you tests. I don’t know if this is caused by some ultimate deity, and honestly I don’t think it matters either way. All I think is that these tests are real.

I think, when it comes to these tests, these seemingly purely chance events that take you up Shit Creek, there are two answers. Answer one, you endure. The event stops, and you move on with your life. Answer two, you submit. Answer two is when the long term detrimental effects start happening.

I believe endurance, grit, adaptability, whatever you wish to call it, is vital. I believe these tests build up over time; the more you endure, the easier they become. On the opposite end, if you fail, it can trap you into a hole. And I believe the only way to avoid the hole is to remember what it’s all really there for. 

When I had a near nervous breakdown sometime in March over a Shit Creek moment, there was a sudden realization — it was all a test. I got up from the ground, took a deep breath in, and moved forward.

So I want you to remember this: Sometimes, life takes you up Shit Creek. And you’re just going to have to swim through it.