Now hold on a second

Having grown up in the church and heard whole messages preached on verses such as, "No, in all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us," (Rom 8:37), I've not ever fancied myself a victim. In fact, when I was a teenager I left team sports for individualized sports so that I couldn't blame someone else for a loss.

And yet, in matters of my faith I find myself freaking out about certain issues, either things that have not come to pass, things I am hoping will, or something to that effect. I found myself doing this last week after I had invested myself in a situation I had hoped would bear fruit. Rather than praying, asking God to bless the situation and protect it from the adversary, I freaked out. Super productive. And...the behavior of a victim.

If there is one thing I have loved about growing up in the Foursquare church that I have is that they don't allow you to be a victim about much. You're generically depressed (not clinically)? How's your prayer life? How much time do you spend in the Word? Are you taking time to personally worship Him?

Things not working out with a friend? How much have you prayed and asked God to reveal what you might have done to contribute to the situation? Have you prayed and asked God's blessing on the person who hurt you? Have you apologized and asked forgiveness for your part?

Honestly, those questions are the worst thing ever when you're in a situation. It's the voice of your mom when you don't do well on a test (which, of course has never been me) saying, "Well...how much did you study for it?"

But I appreciate such questions and that nudging toward personal responsibility now that I'm older and wiser (cough, cough). I don't care to be friends with professional victims, I loathe victim mentalities and yet, in some situations I'm a big, fat hypocrite because I tow that party line.

Not anymore.

The minute I realized I had much more power than that, maybe not necessarily over the situation itself, but over my attitude and prayer life for the situation, I felt so much freer. (That was a horribly constructed sentence and I apologize to my four readers. Yes, I have four now :) I could list the scriptures that coincide with this post, but that would make this a ridiculously long post. To sum up, we are more than conquerors who needn't go around worrying about situations "beyond our control." We can pray and ask God to soften hearts, open ears and keep the enemy from messing with those whom we love and care about.

Well, maybe I will list one longer passage as back up for my post. These are the verses that should revolutionize your thinking as well as prayer life. I mean, just think about this...

Ephesians 1:18-23 (NIV),

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

The same power that raised Christ from the dead is available to us every day. It's impossible to be a victim when one understands that.