The Ultimate Win
I have a lot of my story to share, and I’m looking forward to sharing it over time. But a few things you’ll come to learn about me is that I can be a perfectionist, care too much about what people think from what I do or say, overthink things often, get angry at times, and get stuck in negative thinking all while having a selfish nature that wants what I want and gets upset when I don’t get it. Isn’t that horrible? Some of you might be able to relate. This, and more, is just a part of my “mess”. We all have junk in our lives if we’re willing to admit it.
The good news is these things do not define me. I have a lot of strengths and positive traits as well. Although those things don’t define me either. Yes, I’m a continuous work in progress, but I have found a freedom and fulfillment that exists apart from my efforts no matter how miserable or noble.
I am a daughter of the King, the Most High God, and nothing can come against that. He is my Lord and Savior, and in Him I have put my faith and trust for the outcomes of my life as we walk through life together. I have experienced Him. I have received personal glimpses of His love, grace, truth, discipline, etc. and continue to do so. Part of Winning Women is sharing some my greatest victories that have come from some of my weakest, most painful moments.
Winning is not about striving to be perfect or good enough. It’s not about hoping someone else fails so we can succeed. It’s not about comparing ourselves to others and thinking we’re either better or prettier than them or worse or uglier than them. Those are both pride traps. It’s not about winning or reaching our desired outcomes at all costs or else fall into bitter despair.
No, winning is about discovering our true identity and the unique ways each of us were created. Even more it’s discovering whose we are and the freedom and fulfillment that comes with that. God loves every. single. person. so. stinkin. much. And He created us to love Him back and be in perfect relationship with Him.
We (man and woman) sinned, however, and that destroyed that perfect relationship. Every human has now been born into sin and lives a sinful life apart from God (Romans 5:12,18). The only thing we deserve and get for sin is death. Eternal death. “We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” And “the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 3:23, 6:23). But because God loves us, even while we are still sinners, He knew He had to make a way for that relationship to be restored. Better yet, He wanted to make that way because He wanted to be in relationship with us. And He did. It's not by anything we can do on our own, by our own effort.
The only thing that would restore this relationship was sending His Son, Jesus, the only perfect and sinless man to live on earth, to sacrifice his life willingly and die in our place, taking on the punishment we all deserve. He was the only one who could do this. He died for each and every one of us and then God raised Him from the dead three days later in life and victory, proving he really did conquer sin and death. Because he did this, we all have access to eternal life with him. We all can receive that same victory.
What’s required of us is not good works to earn this salvation. Jesus’ death wouldn’t have mattered then. What’s required is our whole heart, soul, mind and strength being turned toward God, loving Him back because He first loved us even when we were (and still are at times) stuck in our sin. It’s a complete heart change made by the work of the Holy Spirit within us that says,
"Lord, I believe in you. Thank you for taking away my sin and making a way for me to be whole again. I trust you, give my life to you, and put my faith in you. I owe you way more than what I have to give, but thank you for taking my sin and shame and brokenness in exchange for abundant life in you now and the promised eternal life with you in heaven whenever my time on earth comes to an end.”
He has forgiven us our past, present and future sins, and we need to receive that forgiveness and live in the fact that we’re forgiven (sometimes that means forgiving ourselves too). And we continue to confess when we’ve sinned, because He promises to forgive us if we sincerely ask. This is all where the freedom comes from! We are no longer slaves to sin or shame or guilt or pain! He has taken all of that onto his own back so that we don’t have to carry it anymore.
Following and living for Jesus day to day is not always easy. It’s actually hard, especially when the world is fighting and pushing back at us with lies and temptations toward evil and thinking we’re dumb or foolish. It requires us to be on guard and watch what we're letting into our lives.
But when God is on our side as our Lord, Savior, Father, Friend and Lover, seriously, we have so much. With Him in us, everything He is, is within us. His love, grace, truth, power, hope, etc. When we have believed in Him and received His forgiveness, we become His beloved children in whom He calls His own! We’ve been bought with a price and have the greatest and most perfect love anyone could ever give us! No one can compare in the love God has for His children.
This is where the fulfillment comes in. When we live like we are fully known and fully loved as we are as God's children, nothing can stop us. We are fulfilled in our identity in Him and free to go out and love others, the unlovable and unlikable, showing them the same love we’ve been given so that they in turn can have the same experience. What an amazing purpose in life to live out through the unique gifts and talents and passions we’ve been given!
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Jim Elliot
The Redefined Win = Believing God’s love for us, recognizing our sin and need for a Savior, believing and confessing Jesus, his death and resurrection, and entrusting our lives, giving them over, every single day, to Him, as a living sacrifice. With that faith, we have received the promised salvation and eternal life, which cannot be lost. It’s a paradox, really.