Victory and Defeat

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As is so often the case, a recent conversation set my mental wheels to turning. 

I was talking with a fellow minister and in the course of the conversation he referred to a defeat he and his wife had experienced. He expressed the pain they had felt as a result of that defeat. And, as is so often the case, the cause of the pain went beyond the defeat; but also to the mitigating factors involved which ultimately brought about the decision that caused the pain. 

As I commiserated with him I was gently reminded by the Holy Spirit of something that is unique to Christians in relationship to this subject. If we truly believe that God has our life in His hands then at some point we must see the defeats in the same way we see the victories, as the will of God.

The world does not have that advantage. The world relies upon its own wisdom, its own ability and it's own understanding.  Therefore, must continually attempt to find answers and solutions to defeat. This is seen across thousands of boardrooms and sports teams meetings every week.

This is not to say that I am advocating some sort of fatalistic attitude concerning defeat. It is always prudent to examine victories and defeats to ensure that our actions and responses are in alignment with scripture. But as Christians we must always remember that God is working in our life and, much to our distaste, that working does require defeats.

God allows defeats for three basic reasons:

1. To protect us. We all know of someone, if not ourself, in a situation where something was wanted and wanted very badly but we were kept from it. Only later to find out that situation would have been to our harm and not our good.

2.To mold us. As Christians we know that one of the primary goals of God working in our life is to mold us and shape us into the image of the Son Christ Jesus. Just as Christ suffered to fulfill the plan of God for His life we must be molded through the suffering of defeat to fulfill God's plan for our life.

3.To prepare us. God is always preparing us for the next step; always preparing us for His use in our future. And while preparation involves a combination of victories and defeats, everyone understands that more lessons are learned through defeats than through victories.

Believe me when I tell you I know how much that hurts and how confusing it is. We want to shout with joy over the victories and we want to grumble with discontent over the defeats. I am by no means suggesting some form of convoluted approach to our pain or defeats but I am suggesting this; that we strive to find a way to accept them with the same Grace that we accept victory. That we see defeat as God working in our lives and blessing us even when it does not appear as a blessing. Search the scriptures, you will find ample evidence to support my point.

What defeat are you hurting over today? What pain are you struggling to deal with and accept? Never forget that as a child of God, the Father has your life in the palm of His hands. Trust Him in the victories and in the defeats.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for the good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Be blessed!

Bishop Nelson Moffett

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