Victim or Victor?

For the last few days I have been in the hospital with my youngest child while she got surgery and recovered. We have been home since Wednesday, and she has experienced a lot of pain since then. It has me thinking, pain without purpose is torture and pain with purpose is like exercise: for our benefit. 

Try telling that to my 14 year old as she struggles through post op recovery: she does not want to hear it. It is true none the less. 

Spiritual and emotional pain is often harder to deal with than physical pain, but the premise is the same: deal with your pain because it has purpose. Heartache and pain can make us into one of two things: a victim or a victor. 

Jesus said that our sorrows will turn to joy and that our pain will be like a woman in labor. It will hurt for a while, but soon our joy will be complete and we will forget the severity of the pain in our rejoicing. 

The victim says “why does all this happen to me?” and “Why can’t I ever catch a break?” 

The victor says “Even if I never learn the “why” I will continue to move forward” and “God will make a way, where there seems to be no way”. 

Look, I have been a victim and I have been a victor. I know the difference. I choose to walk in victory every time! It is not easy. We are human after all. We fall down, scrap our knee, and we cry. There is no shame in that! 

It is when we stay down; because we fear falling again so much that we rather live from a position of flight rather than fight that we become the victim. 

STAND UP! 

How can you fight the battle if you have laid down in surrender? How can you stand in faith believing that God is fighting with and for you if you are crouched in fear? 

So, you stand up, now what? 

Do not think, that because you changed your stance that all the wrongs and injustices that have happened to you will suddenly be righted. Standing is a change in heart and attitude. God will see it. He will meet you where your faith is. Eventually though, He will want you to exercise your faith muscles and develop a strategy to defeat the enemy yourself. 

Ephesians 6:10-18 says: 

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” 

No battle can be won without standing, watching, being mindful of who our enemy is, of who our leader is, and knowing that if God says we are more than conquerors than it is true. 

So when you are hurt, and it will happen, stand up and proclaim whose child you are, who has the victory, and when all else seems to fail: stand! God will see and fight alongside you! 

Refuse to be a victim and you will begin to learn how to stand in victory!