I grew up in a traditional religious home. It had its great things and its bad things. One of the biggest things in the pentecostal upbringing I faced was the enemies attacks. This left us always thinking that the bad things in life that happened was an attack of the enemy.
Although I believe the enemy does attack and strategize against Gods people, I also believe that in the church we have focused more on the moments of the attack instead of our mindset during the attack.
The word tells us that trials are there to mature us and strengthen us. Does that mean every trial or tough situation is from God and the enemy is not at work, no. I believe that no matter what we face the battleground is not our situation, but our mindset.
Going through something is not hard. Literally it is waking up and doing what you know and can do. Whats hard is doing it with the Joy of the Lord. Doing it with a sense of peace because we know God is faithful to His word.
For me and I believe many others, we have relegated ourselves to focusing on our circumstances and accepting them as our so called, cross to bear. However I believe sincerely that what we think, we believe and what we believe we do.
Just like my recently deceased Aunt who was diagnosed with cancer. When she was first diagnosed she become downhearted and full of despair and her health began to deteriorate faster. However, in an instance she made up her mind that she was going to be strong. That mindset proved to not just be the turnaround for her health but her life as well.
She made not have survived her battle with cancer but she did last longer and have a greater quality of life than if she had a mindset of defeat.
I felt like lately Ive been so focused on what we are going through that I haven’t stopped to adjust my focus and perspective. I have accepted my situation and will deal with the consequences.
As Im writing this I feel like Im one of the prisoners in the jail with Paul and Silas. But rather than singing Im relegating myself to my situation and sitting there in the despair, hopelessness an depression waiting to accept my fate.
You see Paul and Silas had accepted their fate and they didn’t know that singing would set them free. They just had a perspective and a mindset that allowed their trial to lead to their triumph.
So many times I see people who go through something and its horrible. But instead of fight for their mind, they fight their moments. Trying to do everything they can to change the physical without changing the mental.
The word tells us in Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.
You see no matter what we face we must, renew our minds and keep our focus on Him. His will is good pleasing and perfect.
Don’t accept your situations as your trial. Your real trial is cultivating and carrying the mind of Christ through your trial.
We must be constantly aware of where the battle is actually taking place. Ephesians tells us its not against flesh and blood that we fight. So it will not be in flesh and blood that we win.
We must cultivate the mind of Christ to be the light in the darkness of our situations. This unlocks the ability for our trial to become our triumph and the Glory of God to be shown throughout the earth.