Winners and Losers

Arguing about who is a loser and who is a winner can be a grey area! Seriously, it is not that black and white in all areas of life. In sports, yes, there is a winner and loser on any given day, but a winner and loser in life….can be murky water. Why? Because many different people have varying definitions of what a “winner” is and what a “loser” is.

Life can be very complicated. In some areas of life you may be winning, like in your “career,” but maybe you are failing in your personal life. At 52 what I have found to be very true is that there is always an area that needs work.

Maybe it’s taking care of yourself…your body. Scripture calls it your “temple”.
Maybe your spiritual life needs improvement…your relationship with Christ.
Maybe it is your relationships…they may not be healthy or maybe one in particular is toxic or very unhealthy.
Maybe your performance in your job is failing.
Maybe you feel stuck in a circumstance.

No matter what element of life seems to be a “losing” area or a challenge, even if you are winning in many other aspects of life, that one “fail” can be “all consuming” and could potentially begin to affect all other aspects of your life.

Today’s post is about taking responsibility.

Yep…taking responsibility for that area in your life that is:
…failing,
…or status quo,
…causing heart ache,
…or annoying.

Granted, you may not be the party responsible for the pain or problem….but it is you and only you that can take responsibility to change your personal situation. Taking ownership of your life and what is within your control is, without a doubt, something that God wants you to do. Of course, seeking Christ and allowing Him to guide you is the very first step to take. It is then and only then that you are going to be equipped to take on the “monster,” whatever that monster is–weight, health, job, relationship, finances, etc.

Most professional Christian counselors agree on one area. The best shot at knowing if a client can be helped is if that person is willing to acknowledge and access the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. He/she personally takes responsibility for what they can do. They change their focus from what they cannot control to what they can control. If someone is willing to take these steps, then they can significantly improve the situation and, most of the time, live in a winning situation.

Warning here…do not put God’s timing onto your timetable. IT. DOES. NOT. WORK LIKE THAT! 2 Peter 3:8, “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.”

I can tell you from personal experience that this statement is 100% accurate. For me, it was called “dropping your hands” to the things I couldn’t control. Surrendering to God my will and actions and allowing Him to control my response, my actions and my decisions. Proverbs 3 is filled with wisdom. Look at verses 5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” “In all your ways acknowledge him”–that’s a big part of dropping your hands. Surrender it all. He makes the path straight. He brings the “win,” the success.

For example, if you are struggling with weight, realize–no one is force feeding you. No one can exercise for you. No one can make the choices but you! When you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, turning to God and sincerely seeking His help can be the first step. God empowers us to do the things we cannot do in our own strength.

Maybe the struggle is stepping away from an unhealthy person that you are attached to emotionally. It is God and God alone who can take down Satan’s chain of fear and enable you to lean into God and step away. Allowing Him to be your “all in all!”

Maybe it is putting boundaries up to self-protect when someone is stepping over an inappropriate line.

All of these situations are just samples of things you can take responsibility for and the Holy Spirit can guide and empower you to do. Understand, going from a “losing” situation to a “winning” one is not a “cake walk”. It requires change, a deep desire for things to change, and intention. Just like “wins” in sports, it takes sacrifice, intention, hard work, focus and a desire to “win!”

God wants you to win in life. To enjoy the “Fruits of the Spirit” which can only be gained by seeking them and taking responsibility for the life you have been given. It starts with Proverbs 4:23, “Above ALL else, GUARD your HEART, for EVERYTHING you do flows from it.”

Start to win in areas where you are losing. Give God your heart. Trust Him to guide you to solutions to areas that are less than you would like. Take the first step. Seek Him. He can guide you to others that He has equipped to help. Remember, we are all humans–capable of mistakes and wrong advice. That is why you have to allow God to drive the winning solution. HE knows in advance who is capable of helping. HE KNOWS the hearts and motives of all people whether it be a counselor, doctor, friend, or minister.

The ultimate source for guidance–God–He only is the omnipotent one!

The ultimate win–2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

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