The Domino Effect of Persistence in the Game of Life

Are you overwhelmed by loss, failures, disappointments or setbacks? Discover how small steps can lead to unexpected victories in the game of life. Learn how the divine game master turns seemingly insignificant moves into breakthrough moments. If you are feeling stuck in one of life’s toughest levels, this episode is for you.

Nuggets of wisdom in this episode

Life, like a cellphone game, can feel overwhelming and unwinnable at times

Seemingly insignificant or hopeless moves can set off a chain reaction that leads to unexpected victories

God is the ultimate Game Master, guiding our steps and orchestrating our lives

Despite the challenges, continue to move forward, push through uncertainty and persevere even when you feel like giving up

Join the Messy Can't Stop Her Sisterhood at https://www.facebook.com/groups/3204395256540448/

If you would love to share your story on the #MessyCantStopHer podcast, click here to let me know.

Thank you so much for listening.

Music Credit: https://indiefy.me/wanted-carter

Transcript

Welcome back to Messy Can't Stop Her, the podcast where we embrace the chaos of navigating the trenches of life and celebrate the resilience of women. I am your host, Judith Kambia Obatusa – JKO, and it's great to be back with you after our break since October. My sisters! I’ve missed you all so much. I hope you and ours are well. Today, we’re diving right back in with a fresh perspective that I believe will resonate with many of us.

Let me share a thought that’s been simmering in my mind: Life is like a cellphone game. You know the ones I'm talking about - those endless scrolling games where you're constantly making little decisions, hoping they'll lead to a big win.

Sometimes, when we’re in the middle of a particularly tough level. The board looks impossible, the moves too few, and defeat feels inevitable. It feels like we're stuck and there's no possible way to overcome the obstacles. You feel cornered and victory seems impossible. You’re tempted to give up, and the thought of quitting starts to whisper in your mind.

Sometimes, you keep going, trying to make the best move with what you have, and then you make a move, almost carelessly, just to hurry things along and be done with it. And then, bam. A chain reaction. One small move leads to another, and another, until suddenly, we've won the level. Yes, a win you didn’t see coming unfolds before your eyes.

It's the same with life. We often feel like we're in a losing battle, stuck in a difficult situation with no clear path forward. We might make a decision out of frustration or desperation, not expecting much to come of it. 

In those seasons where hope seems hidden under layers of doubt and setbacks, when we’re simply going through the motions, making the next best move just because we have to. Sometimes, that one act—small, indifferent, seemingly insignificant—opens doors we didn’t even know existed. That one decision, that small step, can trigger a series of events that completely change the course of our lives in a positive way. It's like a domino effect, one tiny push leading to a cascade of change.

Galatians 6:9 comes to mind here: “Let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest.” Life has a way of surprising us when we persist. Even when we can’t see the immediate result, that effort, that move we make in faith, can lead to a victory we hadn’t imagined.

Think back to those moments in your life when you thought it was over, but it wasn’t. When you felt cornered, with no clear way forward, but somehow, you found yourself standing victorious after what felt like the simplest move. Maybe it was a conversation you didn’t want to have but had anyway, and it led to reconciliation. Maybe it was showing up to a job interview you almost canceled, only to land an opportunity that changed everything. Or maybe it was simply choosing to get up in the morning and face another day when staying in bed felt like the safer choice.

Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” The Amplified Version says “And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].” This verse is an invitation for us to let go of the need to control every outcome and trust that God is aligning our steps, even when we don’t realize it.

Have you ever faced those moments when you felt utterly defeated, only to find that one small action led to an unexpected breakthrough? That’s what James 1:12 speaks to: “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” Your trials may feel endless, but know this: there is a purpose, and there is a promise of triumph if you keep moving forward.

Sometimes, just hoping in the midst of uncertainty is the most powerful move you can make. Isaiah 40:31 offers us this assurance: “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Even in the messiness, when you feel drained and done, hoping in God will renew you, giving you strength to make that next move.

Romans 8:28 holds a promise that lifts the weight of worry from our shoulders: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”This verse reminds us that persistence is not always perfect or grand, loud or glamorous. It just needs to be a step forward. It’s making a move even when your heart is shaky, believing that maybe, just maybe, there’s something on the other side. And that step can trigger a series of events that lead to something incredible. 

When you make that small move in faith, even if it feels indifferent or hopeless, God is there, working in ways you can’t yet see, orchestrating every detail for your good. Even if you feel like you’re tripping through life’s challenges, trust that God’s hand is steadying you. You might stumble, but you won’t fall. He is holding you up, ensuring that every step—no matter how unsure—keeps you moving toward victory. The New International Version, NIV, translation of Psalm 37:23-24 says: “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” 

So, my sisters, if you’re in the middle of life’s game, feeling like there’s no path to win, I encourage you to make that next move. Trust that God is guiding it. Keep playing, keep pushing forward, even when the path seems hidden. You don’t have to see the whole plan to take one step. That one act of faith, that one small move, might just be the trigger for the breakthrough you’ve been waiting for. When you do this, Messy Won’t Stop You. 

Thank you so much for listening, see you next week.