I am an overcomer. The Bible says that I am....therefore it is true. I've overcome a lot in my lifetime. I overcame my schizophrenia so that instead of being in the hospital every time I turned around, this June makes 2 years since my last (relatively short) hospital stay.
Because of aggressive treatment with steroids to treat the asthma that was killing me, I gained large amounts of weight. And each time, I LOST that weight. However I have been overweight for 4 years now. But once again, I'm losing it. I've lost 38 pounds so far. In my lifetime I have lost hundreds of pounds of weight. I sometimes wonder why I bother striving so hard to lose it each time when it only keeps coming back? It's because if I did not lose that weight, I would probably weigh over 400 lbs. So, giving up is not an option.
And also due to the steroids, I was in a wheelchair for two years...and was told I would never walk again. But I fought hard. I struggled. And I walked.
I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called "Psoriatic Arthritis" and I daily deal with terrible pain in almost all of my joints, and immense fatigue. I also have had many many surgeries as a result of this also. This is not something that I can overcome by sheer force of will. Rather, I overcome by leaning hard on my Lord...even as I lean on my cane or crutches. He walks me through each day and keeps encouraging me not to give up.
I could not have overcome even one of these things without my Jesus. He gives me the strength and the hope to keep on going, when things seem their most hopeless and I feel my weakest.
This verse says it well:
Because of aggressive treatment with steroids to treat the asthma that was killing me, I gained large amounts of weight. And each time, I LOST that weight. However I have been overweight for 4 years now. But once again, I'm losing it. I've lost 38 pounds so far. In my lifetime I have lost hundreds of pounds of weight. I sometimes wonder why I bother striving so hard to lose it each time when it only keeps coming back? It's because if I did not lose that weight, I would probably weigh over 400 lbs. So, giving up is not an option.
And also due to the steroids, I was in a wheelchair for two years...and was told I would never walk again. But I fought hard. I struggled. And I walked.
I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called "Psoriatic Arthritis" and I daily deal with terrible pain in almost all of my joints, and immense fatigue. I also have had many many surgeries as a result of this also. This is not something that I can overcome by sheer force of will. Rather, I overcome by leaning hard on my Lord...even as I lean on my cane or crutches. He walks me through each day and keeps encouraging me not to give up.
I could not have overcome even one of these things without my Jesus. He gives me the strength and the hope to keep on going, when things seem their most hopeless and I feel my weakest.
This verse says it well:
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Rom 12:21 NASB
Do not allow the bad things to overcome you, but overcome them with good. And the good is? The Lord, he is good. And he gives good gifts. And some of those gifts are armor to protect us, a sword to defend us, sustenance to feed us, his Word to guide us, friends to cheer us, homes to cover us.....the list could go on and on. And if I am living a life of gratitude to the Lord who gave me these things, then, THAT, right there, is overcoming the evil with good. And if I can keep my sights set on that, then discouragement and the desire to quit, cannot overtake me. I cannot lose.
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