Overcoming one

"Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance."

I found myself last night thanking God for the difficult lessons of the past. I told Him, I can see their purpose now. I'm changed, I don't react the same way anymore when faced with hardship, I don't have the same thoughts and as a result I have a completely different mindset.

I had a conversation with Daniel yesterday about the completeness we receive when we accept God's salvation. I believe on that day, with God's Spirit, we receive everything we need in order to succeed in this walk against the river. It is very hard. If anybody tells you otherwise they're lying to you. The majority of the world goes in one direction and you willingly choose to go the opposite way whilst pretty much everybody, including a big part of yourself tells you you're mad for even trying.

I was a big "party animal" and the majority of my friends were convinced I will go to my grave hugging my bottle of wine. It makes me laugh these days when I see the reaction on people's faces when I tell them I'm not drinking alcohol, that my greatest vice on the beverage front is Red Bull. It was not easy getting here, though. For many years I was convinced I won't have fun without a drink because that's what's being advertised all around me and that's what I believed. However, I am convinced that on the day I accepted God as the Lord of my life (The One in charge), I was given everything I need to succeed, I just didn't know what to do with what I've been given. All of the sudden when confronted with a situation my heart was prompting me: "There's another way, Emma. You don't have to do the same things you've always done." As if in front of everything my eyes were open to a new world where what I felt or "was in the mood for" did not have to be in charge of my actions. Where I had the power to choose and follow through in my choice no matter how much I felt otherwise. Of course in didn't work everytime. But I learnt I am an overcomer by being triumphant in my hard times. And the first step in being triumphant is deciding there's no way back, that I am now on this path and I will not quit no matter what!

Once the decision was made in my heart like bullets shot my way hard times came along. At first my gut reaction was to feel disappointed "God, is this fair?After all I've given up for Your sake, after all the effort I put into it?" And then I read in a book "I did not say this world was fair, I said I am." I saw the point, but I was not impressed so I became miserable. I was one of the most miserable Christians you could see around. I am surprised they didn't change the bumper sticker from "Smile, Jesus loves you" to "Smile for crying out loud, Jesus loves you!"
But I didn't quit and now a day came along when I stopped seeing hard times as God punishing me for not doing good, and started seeing them as my training ground.

"He makes my feet like hinds' feet [able to stand firmly or make progress on the dangerous heights of testing and trouble]; He sets me securely upon my high places. He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, and Your right hand has held me up; Your gentleness and condescension have made me great. You have given plenty of room for my steps under me, that my feet would not slip." Psalm 18:33-36

Now my hard times are my teachers. If I don't stand through one of them, if it knocks me down, in a way that might seems strange to others, I am almost looking forward to the next one, even more determined to choose well. "Hardship produces patience and unswerving endurance."
After listening to my frustrated comments on how I am losing patience and react when I shouldn't, my sister once said to me "Emma, you're not born patient and gentle, you become patient and gentle by enduring through trials."

Even though on the day we accept Him, God gives us everything we need to succeed, we don't automatically become overcomers. We become that by not quiting and trying again. On 10th May this year I wrote a posting on my blog called "Don't give up!" The last paragraph describes one of the greatest moments of my walk with God:

"If you carry on no matter what, you already won because you can't be stopped. Hell knows that, and Heaven knows that. It's an amazing day when you understand that. On that day you become, overcoming one and you keep this name for as long as you don't give up!"