How to Become an Overcomer

     Over the past four weeks our pastor has been doing a sermon tackling some of the hard questions: Why do bad things happen to good people?  Why does God let people get sick and leave prayers unanswered?  What is God's will for my life?  Why have faith if God isn't always going to answer our prayers?  Although these are some very tough questions and I still have questions left unanswered, these things were made clear to me over the past few weeks.  God never promised us a life without pain.  Although we all face seasons in our life that are anything but how we imagined they would be, the real part of the story is how we handle the conflict.  Beautiful things arise out of pain, we arise out of the pain, and ultimately, God helps us to find a way to write good out of the pain.  And so, from the pain we can become Overcomers.

How to Become an Overcomer

• In all tough situations, think, "What is the most loving thing I can do?"
• In most cases, we know the right thing to do.  The question is, will we do it?
• Remember, in the face of evil, we are called to bring about the maximum amount of good
• Use your dominion to push back the darkness by bringing kindness and love and light
• Take the hand you are dealt and run with it
• Remember, if you spend all your time looking at the bad, you're gonna miss all the good and the beautiful
• Remember, God doesn't ensure that only good things happen, but God brings good out of the hardship and the pain
• Live for the now
• We don't know how much time we have, but we do know that we can cherish what we do have
• Give thanks for what you've been given everyday
• Remember, the worst thing is never the last thing
• Remember, God works through other people.  Pay attention.  You are the answers to other people's prayers.

I'm still waiting for my "grand slam out of the park" prayer to be answered.  But in the mean time, I reflect back on the many times that I have seen God walking with me over the past few years reminding me that he's still here with me.  And that is more than enough for now:)