Victor Or Victim

People have challenges. Things they have to overcome. Some grew up in dysfunctional families. Some were born with illnesses. Some face health issues as they age. Others are forced to fight to overcome poverty and financial setbacks. Some were abused.

You can choose to be a victor or a victim to your circumstances. I don't know what you are facing currently. I do not know what you have had to overcome in the past.

Moses found himself leading a group of victims. They wanted out of Egypt. For four centuries the nation of Israel pleaded for God to let them be free from their slavery. Four centuries came and went. Then God chose a reluctant servant named Moses. Through a series of miraculous events, Pharaoh finally released the nation and set them free. Shortly thereafter, he regretted doing so,  and chased down the Israelites. He caught up with them at the Red Sea and had them blocked in.

When the people saw the chariots from the Egyptian army they whined and complained. They even stated it would have been better to remain in Egypt. Moses assured the children of Israel they would see the salvation of the Yahweh, God would fight for them if they remained silent. Exodus 14. While the entire nation played the victim, Moses trusted God for the victory.

Most of you know the rest of the story. God did a massive miracle in parting the Red Sea so they could cross over on dry land. When Pharaoh and the Egyptian army followed in pursuit, God covered them with the walls of water He held back to drown all of them. From victims to victory.

I have a challenge to overcome. My eye sight. Since being diagnosed as a diabetic, I have had many treatments on my eyes to keep me seeing. I have had three laser surgeries, another surgery, and worst of all 89 injections in my eyes. I had four more this past week. I have Bibles from normal sized print to extra giant print depending on my fluctuating vision. When I first began my treatments, I begged for God's healing. That was five years ago. There have been three  different seasons when I could not see out of one eye for six months. I mean I could not see the number of fingers on a person's hand stading right in front of me three feet away. I praise God He brought me out of that.

Still the injections are scheduled, the next ones in May. I could choose the part of the victim. I love to read and write. My reading has been scaled way back. I love to preach and teach. At times it has been challenging. There have been times when I preached from memory, because I could not see the text.

I recall one visit sitting in the examination room of my doctor waiting on the next round of injections. I faced the possibility that the day could come when I will no longer be able to see. I had to choose right them whether I would be the victim or overcome to the victor. I choose the path of victory whatever that will look like in the future.

Fanny Crosby was blind. That did not stop her. She did not play the victim. She wrote hymns. She used 200 pen names. She is credited with writing 8,000 hymns. She did not let her blindness keep her from being fruitful for God. She pressed on to victory. She is an example to me, and many others facing setbacks.

We do not always get to choose the challenges we have to face. We do get to choose to be a victim or trust God for victory.