Reshaping Self from Worry
Worrier to Warrior
“Better Journey” acrylic by Myra Alibrando
Escape Stress
Sometimes the best way for me to de-stress is to simply imagine life AFTER the instigating problem is gone. In reality, life itself will pass whether we are cowardly or courageous.
Calm Down
The Word is filled with scriptures about us calming ourselves down. The Bible doesn't teach us to not get involved, not stop injustice, or not stop bad people. No, the Bible is never encouraging laziness or apathy . . . but it certainly does tell us to stop worrying, being anxious, or afraid. These traits are genuinely worse than worthless.
Who do we help by worrying? How does any emotion contribute to society if the fruit is nothing more than fatigue and depression?
Avoiding Life is Not Peace
I love this quote: “Most of us tiptoe through life in order to make it safely to death.”
There is nothing great in prioritizing the avoidance of responsibility, adversity, confrontation, or work. “Concerned” is what love is. You worrying helps no one but Satan, whose goal is to ruin you.
I've said to several negative people "Well, when you stop having problems, you know you are already dead."
I can embrace problems as proof of life. God says to embrace problems to grow.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, James 1:2
Verses 3 and 4 explain why but that is another teaching I have already shared.
Victory Equals a Winner and a Loser
God gives promises of victory. Victory is very different than compromise or tolerating. For victory to exist, someone or something must be defeated. Evil exists, God promises it will ultimately be defeated. The same goes for death, disease, poverty, cowardice, and all kinds of corruption.
The Bible has multiple verses about overcoming having eternal rewards. Overcoming, like victory, is not a compromise or putting up with something negative. Our calling is to victory. Victory in overcoming things bad habits, bad choices, bad mindsets, and yes defeat itself. Instead of living a defeated life, obtaining a victorious life.
11 Machine-Gun Quotations
At least 11 times in the Book of Revelation is the promise of reward, exclusively for those who overcome. Here are three translations of one verse:
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." Revelation 2:7 KJV
The same verse in NIV says “victorious” instead of “overcometh”:
"Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." Revelation 2:7 NIV
Here is a 2nd verse:
"Let everyone listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. I will give the privilege of eating from the tree of life that is in God's paradise to everyone who overcomes." Revelation 2:7 International Standard Version
No Consolation Prizes
What is inspiring and a little scary about being rewarded for victory is not winning. It appears a person cannot declare "I really tried my best" or "I meant well" and get the prize.
Here is an appropriate quotation from Winston Churchill "It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we must do what is required."
The good news about the promise of God regarding the enemies of our souls is the certainty of them being overcome, defeated, destroyed. Thankfully, God will not "do His best" meaning that should be good enough that He tried. We can be assured He will accomplish His mission and do what He has promised.
You read for yourself and get the feel of its meaning and why the calling to overcome is repeated 11 times. You can look these up and underline them in your own Bible. Let it sink in.
Revelation 2:7, Revelation 2:11, Revelation 2:17, Revelation 2:26, Revelation 3:5, Revelation 3:12, Revelation 3:21, Revelation 11:7, Revelation 12:11, Revelation 17:14, Revelation 21:7.
This is a much different spirit than me thinking I want to go to sleep and wake up after all the trouble passes. Sometimes I really feel like that.
God’s Will, but Still We Choose
Are you curious what your life might look like if reshaped by courage and faith to victory?
Thank God the real me is not however I feel.
Thank God, my destiny will not determined by my emotions, but good choices.
Thank God, He is calling me to be an overcomer and promises to help me achieve that character and strength.
Thank God, I believe Him.
Well said. Thank you.