Victory Day Thirty-Eight: Despite All These Things

Despite all these things,

overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

Rom. 8:37, NLT

In order for victory to be possible, there is the inevitability of war. When Apostle Paul penned this verse he and other Christians were facing opposition and rejection from their own people because of their faith in Christ, and imprisonment, torture, and death from without. People all over the world today are experiencing the same things. Yet, it’s still true that they possess overwhelming victory, because they have Christ.

In comparison, my trials seem so small, yet threaten to take me under. This week our immediate family is dealing with auto immune disease, debilitating back and hip pain, unremitting viruses, financial difficulty, overbooked schedules, doctor and chiropractor visits, chronic insomnia, homelessness, addiction, sibling jealousy, and disappointments.

The last few hours of my overnight trip to visit family in another city ended at the tire center. There I had to spend hundreds of dollars on new tires before I could get home safely. I am feeling overwhelmed by all the things I have promised to do and want to do and feel like I should do. None of these things seem very spiritual when compared to persecution. However, they are battles we can either respond to with trust that God will use it all for good, or anger at Him because of the discomfort and inconvenience.

On my drive home I contemplated this verse. Despite all these things, as followers of the living God, we have overwhelming victory over whatever circumstances war with our faith. We do not have to fear anything this life hands us because Jesus took away their power to destroy our relationship with God. These troubles we deal with are vexing and discouraging and exhausting, but when compared to what we will enjoy for eternity, they are only a breath in time.

That gives me courage to face these things. They will pass. God will carry us through. We will learn from our mistakes and trials, and hopefully, even our responses to them will show the world that we really believe what we say we do.