Overcomer

Wow – where has the time gone? The holidays have come and gone since my last blog and it is a brand new year. Though I have not blogged for a while, I have been journaling and here are a few of the highlights from the last half of 2010.

Last time I wrote on this blog, I was in the midst of acting as campaign manager for my friend and colleague, Kathy. I am pleased to say she won the campaign and was sworn into office this week! My husband and I went to Orlando in August – mixing a little business with a vacation. It was a wonderful time for us to connect and get away from everything for a few days. Then for Thanksgiving, we drove to central California to spend time with my youngest son, daughter-in-law and granddaughters Natalie and Kendra. For Christmas they came here to Northwest Washington, as did my other son, daughter-in law and grandchildren Jayden and Jenessa. It was so great to have all 4 of my grandchildren here at the same time for a few days. They had so much fun together! (We also went on a camping trip in July at the Oregon coast with all the family and what fun we all had!!)

And now as life is settling back in and work is in full force again, I have been asking the Lord for divine direction for 2010. I am praying that the business of life will not overshadow the business of drawing closer to my heavenly Father.
This morning I was reading the word and this is the passage that resonated with me: “Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of His faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous and praise His holy name.” Psalm 97: 10-12

For some reason, I have been struggling a bit the past couple of weeks with a spirit of defeat. I have had trouble sleeping and have not been very motivated. The good thing is that it has drawn me to the Lord in prayer and into His word many times a day (and in the middle of the night!). I really want to know what He is trying to teach me through this. I don’t want to miss that “AHA!” moment that He wants to give me. One thing He has been telling me to repent of is my lack of trust and my tendency to try to take control. It is amazing that so often we think we need to handle things because God is too busy or because we think we have screwed up so badly that we have to deal with the consequences alone. The enemy wants us to believe that.

But do you see what the author of this Psalm is telling us? God sheds light on the righteous and on the upright in heart. He also delivers us from the hand of the wicked. We may make huge mistakes, we sin, we falter – but where does our righteousness come from? It comes from the beautiful act of love that Jesus committed for us. He alone is our righteousness and it is only because of our relationship with Jesus and through the Holy Spirit abiding in us that we can we walk ‘upright in heart’.

So, because we are righteous through our heavenly adoption, we can do what the last line in this passage says – we can rejoice in the Lord and praise His holy name. In the midst of this battle with the spirit of defeat, I have been so blessed when I followed this advice. It is so amazing that when we praise and rejoice, when we declare our love for the Lord, the enemy is crushed beneath our feet and we can walk victorious. When I do that, I am then more able to see the light He sheds upon the situation and realize the truth that He wants the very best for me – in spite of my human frailties.

He has shown me that even though I have felt like a failure, He continues to pick me up, help me stand and give me the power to overcome! I am His bride, friend and daughter. He truly has made me to be a beautiful warrior princess. As long as I continue to focus on Him, He will deliver me and show me new truths throughout my whole life. “He (she) who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his (her) God and he (she) will be my child.” Revelation 21:7

Oh Lord, thank you for giving me the power to overcome. Help me to focus always on you and continually praise you – no matter what trials and suffering come my way here on earth. Show me any chinks in my armor that need to be restored. Show me any lies I believe and help me to overcome by the blood of Jesus. Let me know what, when and how to repent, that I may walk more fully in your ways. In the blessed name of Jesus Christ, Amen!