But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer
through Him who loved us
(Rom. 8:37).
God has Ordained Them
Comfortable Christianity in America has led many Christians to believe that when God allows painful circumstances to engulf them, He must not love them. In this verse from Romans, Paul is addressing this very issue by reaffirming that no situation, calamity, or event, however painful, can come between us and God’s love. But that’s just the beginning. Because of His unending love for us, He will be with us in all our difficult situations because He has ordained them to reveal Himself in and through us, and in the process, give us the victory.
No Battle, No Victory
We need to remember that without a battle, there can be no victory. Nothing worth gaining comes without a fight of some kind, and the very things that appear to be obstacles are the very things God will use to grow us, draw us closer to Him, reveal something new about Himself, and bring the victory. It’s all about how we see these “obstacles.” The same giant wave that would scare me half to death is a surfer’s dream. He has learned to let the energy of the twisting pipeline of raging water that engulfs him propel him to victory while he remains calm, cool, and collected.
“In” All These Things
This is exactly what God wants to do with us. He is prepared to let our “obstacles” propel us right through them with an exhilaration that baffles all onlookers. Notice that the verse above doesn’t say “in spite of these things,” but “in all these things.” With the right perspective, we can actually welcome what these uncertain days have in store for us. We know that believers will be persecuted in the near future, but we are not to be afraid. The enemy will do everything he can to frighten us from the front line of the battle. The China Virus pandemic has shown just how easy it is to sideline millions of people, even Christians.
The Thrill of Victory
When we understand what our Heavenly Father is doing, it’s easier to accept what is bound to come. Imagine how exciting it would be to know that our loving Heavenly Father has engineered ways to transform us into the conquering kings He has already declared us to be. Clearly, Paul had learned this lesson. Why else would he declare, “I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation”? Persecution is coming, but so is the thrill of victory brought to us courtesy of God’s indomitable love for His children.
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
ATTRIBUTIONS
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