The definition of Overcome is to prevail over (opposition, a debility, temptations, etc.). Believe it or not, that can also include overcoming self destruction. Before I became saved my life was in shambles. I was one of those people that if you looked at my outer appearance you would get the impression I had everything under control. The truth is my soul was slowly deteriorating. I remember my Pastor preaching a sermon entitled “Ministering to Misfits.” That was me. Everything that could possibly go wrong in my life did. My oldest son, then three years old, began having seizures, I was laid off from my job, and my relationship at that time was falling apart. I managed to keep the charade going for as long as I could. A co-worker kept encouraging me to attend church, but I continued to decline and make excuses for why it was not a good time for me. Even though my life was a sinking ship, I still managed to make time to party, because I thought I was going to miss out on something. At one point everything became so overwhelming I went into a state of depression. One day my mother made a comment. She said, “Baby, when God is trying to get your attention he does not only cause conflict for you, but he will also use someone extremely close to you such as your child”.
I made a decision to attend church the following Sunday. The day I decided to attend church; the devil was definitely busy. As the boys and I prepared to leave, my car would not start. I called my dad to pick us up, but he had just gotten off work and did not want to drive across town. He attempted to convince me to attend service the next week. At that point I broke down and began to cry hysterically. I insisted it had to be today and my father agreed. The moment I stepped inside the church a feeling of calmness came over me. There was a guest Pastor, and his sermon was entitled “When the Lights Go Out.” I remember as if it were yesterday. It was if that sermon was tailored specifically for me. It was as if he knew my life story and was exposing it to everyone in attendance. When it came time for the invitation, before I knew it I was at the altar accepting Christ as my Lord and Savior. Even though I was still in the midst of my trial, I felt as if a great weight was lifted.
1st John 3:24
Those who obey his command lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
The very next day I had a car accident on my way to work. I know had I not given my life to Christ the day before, the ending to my story could have had a different outcome. My car was completely totalled yet, by the grace of God, I was able to walk away from that accident with only minor injuries. As I’m sure you can imagine, it was a very frightening experience and it reminded me of the fragility of life. I still to this day can’t believe how lucky I got in terms of my injuries. There was every chance that I could have come out of that accident unable to walk ever again. It’s that sobering thought which is pushing me to check disability insurance costs, as life throws unexpected things at us all of the time and you always need to be prepared for the worst. Though I was lucky to walk away with a lack of injuries, I was devastated that my car had been totaled, and it was left for me to find another car. Fortunately for others, cars can sometimes be fixed after car accidents as long as you have the right auto insurance to pay for it. Auto insurance can really come in handy if you get yourself into a car accident, which is more common than you think. You can see here for auto insurance quotes for those that aren’t covering their car; this can be really beneficial for the future! Car accidents can be really frightening so I was incredibly fortunate to only experience a small amount of back pain and bruising to my shoulder. That being said, in the aftermath of my accident, I did do some research on this website here to determine whether I would be able to compile a personal injury lawsuit. Regarding car accidents, it is so important to know your legal rights. I suppose what I am trying to say is that we should be careful of the things we claim in our lives. Some of the difficulties we experience are due to our own creation. If we are not careful we will allow the devil to consume us and keep us in a state of denial that we are beyond repair. Sometimes it is hard to overcome a self inflicted wound, because we do not believe we deserve any better than what we have. Find delight in knowing God already knows how long it will take you to get to the point of despair and allow Him to relieve you of your pain. Right now my life is at a point of contentment. This simply means I am comfortable with who I am, and where I am in my spiritual journey, but I am always making progress. I try not to dwell on things that are beyond my control, because God has a way of working things out in His own time. God has allowed me to become a better mother, friend, sister, and daughter, to those around me. Most importantly He has granted me the ability to have a great deal of patience. I pray that through my experiences I will continue to apply these lessons in the lives of those I encounter.
Hebrews 12: 4-6
In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. My sons, do not make light of the Lords discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and punishes everyone he accepts as a son.
No matter how many trials I go through, I know that God loves me. I view each trail as Gods way of continuing to develop me.
Be Blessed,
Lady 4.0
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