I am an Overcomer!

Week 6. Check. It's been a month and a half since starting classes at Garrett. And, in retrospect, Week 6 was the hardest I've had so far.  I worked on my exegetical assignment all weekend, only to have all of my material be wiped away. Then, I was confronted with my first Hebrew exam and was convinced that I was going to fail it. Somewhere around 2 am on Wednesday morning, I hit a wall, went to bed frustrated and got 3 hours of sleep. I woke up late, didn't have time to shower, rushed to my car, put the keys in the ignition and raced to the end of the block. As I was sitting at the stop sign, annoyed that I had to wait for other cars, I took and deep breath. Then, I heard this song for the first time... and cried.

As Mandisa's words howled through my speakers, I put my week in to perspective. Although this dumb assignment, dumb test and crappy week were causing me some serious stress... I told myself that in ten years, I know I won't remember this. Mandisa's chorus hit me like a ton of bricks. She sings:

"Whatever it is you may be going through, I know He's not going to let it get the best of you. You're an overcomer! Stay in the fight until the final round. You're not going under, because God is holding you right now. You might be down for a moment, feeling like it's hopeless, that's when He reminds you... You're an overcomer!"

Although I have never thought of myself in those terms, it's true. I have typically talked about my life by utilizing the analogy of the poker player. Imagine playing poker with God.  Of course, it isn't up to us what cards we get. It's His deal, but somehow he manages to stack the deck because God knows what kind of poker player we are. He knows that some of us may be able to handle just a little bit more on our plates. And, when we can't he's always there to re-deal.

The concept of being an overcomer is a powerful one. It acknowledges that life... is not easy. We don't always get the job, the boy/girl, the new clothes, the car, the picket fence or the dog. In fact, for some of us, we struggle all of our lives only to end up in a one bedroom apartment, on the bad side of town, with nothing to eat, while juggling three part time jobs "just to make it". People who "overcome" play their cards, hoping to catch a break. And, if you're lucky, sometimes you do. But, a majority of the time, you fold, shuffle and play another hand.

That's the beauty of being an overcomer. If life comes through for you the first time, great. If not, there's always a second hand or another chance. God is holding us through all of the good times and the bad. He is empowering us to make bold moves, challenging us to change the game and carrying us through times of transition. He uses our times of trial to show us the extent of our strength!

Once I started to view myself as an overcomer, tackling the rest of the week came easy. The daunting tasks that I had to face now seemed like mini-challenges in my race to prove my mental strength. I turned in my paper with 28 minutes to spare. I finished my Hebrew exam within 20 minutes and had time to check all of my answers in the BDB. I even had the chance to take a nap!

I acknowledge that, through all of the ups and downs in life, I am an overcomer.
What kind of person are you?