The Donkey Story

Recently, I read this wonderful story that totally inspired me to overcome any situation. It was about a donkey that fell into a deep, dry well. He brayed loudly in distress so that his master came to his rescue. However, the master decided that it was impossible to get the donkey out of the deep well, so he made a very different plan from what the donkey had hoped.

He decided to fill the well with earth, so that the donkey would be buried and stop braying. It would also prevent another animal falling into the well in future. As he was throwing bucketfuls of earth into the well, the donkey panicked, and brayed even more loudly. However, the master felt that he did not have a choice, so he continued to fill up the well.

As expected, it soon became quiet in the well, and the master assumed that the donkey had been smothered by all the earth and had died. After much labour, the master looked to see how much more earth was needed. Imagine his surprise when he looked down into the donkey’s alert eyes. What had happened?

Well, after the initial shock, the donkey decided to save his energy and do what he could to help himself, seeing that the master was obviously not rescuing him. As each load of earth was thrown in, he shook it off himself, and stamped on it. Gradually the level of earth in the well rose and the donkey rose higher up the well with it, until finally he could step out of the well on to solid ground.

How does this apply to us? Rather than falling into physical pits, we fall into emotional, mental, or spiritual pits, where there seems to be no way out. In fact, it seems that the load only increases. We start panicking and fearing for our lives. Then we have a choice to make. Do we allow ourselves to be buried under the load and to be smothered by the circumstances? Or do we, with the Lord's help,  find a way of rising above the situation?

Firstly, we need to realise that no situation is impossible, even if it appears to be. Secondly, we need to ask the Lord to help with our fear, calm down, and ask Him for wisdom and strategy. Then we need to implement that plan, one load at a time, until we find that we have come through it and have survived, just as the donkey did.