You’ve been told how special you are, how good you have it, even in spiritual circles what an Overcomer you are. But what you hear doesn’t seem to match up with what you see. You look at the rainbows and unicorns of somebody’s social media status and all you seem to see in your life are the clouds and jackasses.
Maybe it’s time for a reality check. Maybe it’s time for a Come to Jesus meeting, where you actually come to Jesus. There with a good dose of truth, faith, and courage you will see that you actually are more than a conqueror. Yet you still must overcome.
Why?
Because every motion forward… in kingdom life, in relationships, and in your own personal growth runs headlong into resistance.
Even special people.
Even blessed people.
Even Overcomers must overcome.
Your identity isn’t a badge you wear to feel good. It’s a weapon you’re given to enforce the truth. Maybe it’s time to sharpen that sword. Without a doubt, it’s time to overcome.
You overcome when you press on against the voices of discouragement screaming in your head to give up. You overcome when you “bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things” in your relationships with others. You overcome when you take the weapons of your warfare and advance one step at a time with courage.
You overcome when you give yourself time to grow, to understand, to learn, and to receive. You overcome when you give others time to live as the men and women you know them to be. You overcome when you take the weapons of your warfare and stand one day at a time with patience.
You overcome when you confront the stuck and stubborn areas of your life you are resistant to change. You overcome with you speak the truth in love to people who would rather hear something that makes them feel good. You overcome when you take the weapons of your warfare and expose one false idea at a time with truth.
You overcome when you refuse to believe the voices of shame and embrace the grace of God that has been given to you once and for all. You overcome when you see past the disappointments and failures of others and engage God’s grace in those relationships. You overcome when you take the weapons of your warfare and release one reproach at a time with forgiveness.
You overcome when you crush the temptations of carelessness, pride and self-pity and instead reflect kindness, initiative, and thoughtfulness. You overcome when you keep showing kindness to others who have responded to you with that same carelessness, pride, or self-pity. You overcome when you take the weapons of your warfare and touch one life at a time with goodness.
You overcome when you tenaciously see yourself, not in terms of how you perform, but in terms of how the God of Heaven has defined you. You overcome when you see past the labels and caricatures of others and love them for who they are in the heart of God. You overcome when you take the weapons of your warfare and embrace one identity at a time with faith.
You overcome when you let go of the condemnation of your past and the weaknesses of your present to pursue with confidence the transformation of your future. You overcome when you put down the scoreboards and lists of others’ failures and see them in terms of the people they are becoming. You overcome when you take the weapons of your warfare and visualize one future at a time with hope.
You overcome when you see with open eyes the places of immaturity in your life and give room for the Holy Spirit to grow you up. You overcome when you recognize the childishness in others as areas the Lord has on his agenda to change, with or without your help. You overcome when you take the weapons of your warfare and encourage one child at a time with love.
You overcome when you express joyful gratitude when it just makes more sense in the natural to complain. You overcome when you express heartfelt thanksgiving to those who have given you far more than you deserve. You overcome when you take the weapons of your warfare and celebrate one blessing at a time with praise.
There couldn’t be a more resounding “Amen” here, Andy!
Martha Orlando´s last blog post ..Give Me a Break!
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