That You May Win

“But am a committed Christian and I take my relationship with God seriously, yet why am I bombarded with so many problems. Why are there disappointments all around?”

You might have asked these questions or its variants at some point in your Christian walk or maybe you didn’t so much as utter it, but you only thought about it in your heart. I know I have. While I did not expect a life without challenges, I did hope for an almost smooth road; after all, God had promised to clear the pathway for me such that I will not dash my foot against a stone nor have any big issues in life. But did he?

In the longest recorded teaching of Christ, which was also one of his earliest teachings, in Matthew chapters five to seven, Jesus gave us his manifesto, his mission statement and concluded with this allegory: ‘Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock. And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house. And it did not fall, for it was founded on a rock. And everyone who hears these sayings of Mine and does not do them shall be compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the wind blew and beat on that house. And it fell, and great was its fall.’¹ We can agree that the wise man is the committed Christian who does the word of God and the foolish man a church goer who doesn’t do the word and is the equivalent of an unbeliever. It is instructive to note the common experiences of both groups. They both built houses, the rain fell on both houses, both houses experienced the flood and the wind blew against both houses. What was different was the outcome, while one house was able to withstand all the elements of weather, the other house crumbled under the same conditions.

Our Christian faith does not preclude us from challenges and trials but it gives us wisdom to handle them and strength to overcome them. But then why does God allow the trials and tests to come in the first place, you ask? It is so that we can exercise our faith in God, for without faith we cannot please God². If we get everything we want and do whatever we please, then there will be no need to believe God for anything. God’s word will mean nothing to us and the whole of humanity will flock to God because of the assurance of ease and comfort. And no, trials did not come after the fall, even Adam had to believe God by tendering the garden and avoid the tree of the knowledge of good and evil no matter how inviting it was³.

Are you then becoming bitter and unforgiving because of the challenges? Or have you decided to stop giving all of yourself as a reaction to how people have treated you? The real proof of your faith is standing tall when tested. The guarantee that you will come out victorious is a steadfast decision to do the word of God regardless of the situation.  So, stand firm in the word, refuse to let go of the promises you have received from God and rejoice. Remember what God says in the book of James, ‘My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested. But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything’.⁴ Don’t lose your joy through it all. This is the time to rejoice and make merry, for you are being built and you will be victorious.

Finally, for now, let us consider one more scripture on this important topic. First Corinthians chapter ten verse thirteen says “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it “. It is good to note that it is common to man; the pain, the anguish, the loss of a relative, the perpetual lack, whatever you are going through has happened to someone who overcame it before and it is presently happening to someone else who is working to conquer it, so you are not alone in it. You also need to know that it is happening to you because you have the ability to bear it, you are made of thicker stuff, you have the Spirit of God resident in you. Perhaps most importantly, there is a way out and God will show you the way. Don’t give up, your faith is the means by which your victory will come.

So, the next time those challenges stare you in the face, when the trials seem overwhelming; REJOICE, for it is yet another opportunity for you to triumph, another opportunity for God to be glorified.

If you have not made Jesus Christ your Lord and saviour, then life here is anchorless and eternity is bleak. We urge you, don’t wait another moment. Make up your mind and say this prayer:

“Dear God, I ask you to forgive me all my sins and make me anew. I believe that Jesus died for me and you raised him up on the third day, I confess that He is Lord now and forever. I accept your son, Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour.”

Congratulations! Now that you are born again, look for a Bible believing church to attend that you might know what he has provided for you. 

1.      Matthew 7:24-27 (MKJV)

2.      Hebrews 11:6

3.      Genesis 2: 15-17

4.      James 1:2-4 (CEV)