Victor or Victim?

I want to crawl in a hole right now. Well, I want to get into my 2010 Nissan Cube and drive into a hole somewhere. A place where both my car and I can be safe from the harsh reality of the world. I know, that sounds pathetic and pessimistic and there’s really not a lot of hope in that.

I finally got my car back yesterday after 2 weeks of playing the mooch card and bumming rides from others. Now, I’m just so paranoid that something else is going to happen to my baby that I’d rather go hide in a cave somewhere with him than drive him out on the open road. Ridiculous, right? I haven’t been the best version of myself lately. I’ve been walking around all defeated, constantly worrying about all the things on my plate (besides the accident stuff, there’s a lot of other crap going on that is just making me feel like world is out to get me).

I used to be so sunny and hopeful… well, maybe not sunny, but certainly hopeful. What happened to me? It hit me the other day that I’ve made myself into a victim. I’ve let this world that I am subject to living in steal my joy. And that’s not ok. Not only is it not ok, it’s not true. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15, “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Wait… you mean, I already have the victory? I don’t have to walk around hunched over in fear like a loser? Jesus tells us we’re going to meet with opposition, but it doesn’t have to overtake us. In John, He says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” We don’t have to do the overcoming ourselves, because Jesus already did it for us. He already won the victory over every obstacle in our lives when He rose from the grave. I don’t have to rely on my own strength for these struggles, because the power that conquered the grave lives in me.

How soon we forget… I know I can’t be the only one who lets the earthly problems invade until I lose sight of my heavenly treasures. Regardless of what man can do to me, I still have a Savior. He still rescues me. He still has a plan for my life (Jeremiah 29:11). Though my road may look dark right now, there is light at the end of the tunnel. And the best part is, I’m not in there all alone. Not only do I have my victorious Savior by my side, He’s also blessed me with brothers and sisters to lift me up in prayer and stand beside me when things get rough.

Romans 8:31-39

 ^“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

   “For your sake we face death all day long;
   we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I wrote this post mainly for myself, but I hope you get something out of it, too. Walk with your head held high. Be a victor not a victim.