The Olympics showcases athletes from around the world who have trained for years, who strive to reach a goal to attain a spot on the victory podium. Many have had minor and major injuries, some told by friends, family members, even doctors, they would never be able to compete. Yet, those who kept going, who refused to give in to their injuries, continued to move forward by keeping their eyes on the prize. Those athletes are the ones who refused to listen to the naysayers and kept the emphasis on their goal to win.

We all have that choice.

We have a choice as to what we will do, who we listen to, how we compete in this race called life. If the devil can get us to focus on the negative, we won’t see the positive. If the devil can get us to think we can never get over something, then we won’t move forward, and we won’t allow God’s healing to get us over what happened. We get stuck in the devil’s trap forgetting that Jesus has made a way for Jesus Is the Way.

The emphasis has been placed on the wrong things. The devil says you can’t get out, you won’t find healing, you can never change, never find hope, never be able to move forward, you’ll always be messed up by the mess you’ve endured or the mess you made. Satan is a liar!

Negative things may scar, wound, and mess with us, but because of Jesus there is nothing done that can’t be restored and renewed by the power of our all-powerful God.

“We are too prone to engrave our trials in marble and write our blessings in sand.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

The defining moments of our lives are not our hardships, traumas, and trials, but how (and if) we allow Jesus to heal our hardships, traumas, and trials.

Instead of placing the emphasis on the mess done by the devil, let’s place the emphasis on the message of what God has done, who God is, what God can do no matter how messy the life. Jesus makes all things new. All things! No one is too messed up for nothing is impossible for God!

Be an overcomer, be one who allows God to change those defining moments into refining moments. Be one who keeps the eye on the eternal prize, who chooses to move forward no matter what the devil says and no matter what the devil has done. Move forward in the power of our all-powerful, healing, restoring, amazing God. And one day you will stand on the victory podium in heaven, because you overcame the devil by the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony (Revelation 12:11).

Father, thank You that You heal the brokenhearted and bind up my wounds, curing my pains and sorrows. Thank You that nothing is ever impossible for You and no word from You will be without power or impossible of fulfillment. Help me to keep my eyes on Jesus who both began and finished this race. Help me to study how Jesus made it through His time on earth. Because Jesus never lost sight of where He was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with You—He could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now He’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside You. Help me to give You all my sorrow and pain, all my broken places, so that You can heal and restore. Help me Father when I’m struggling in my faith to go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility Jesus plowed through. Because that will shoot adrenaline into my soul. Help me to focus on You and always remember all that You have done. Help me to carve my blessings in granite and my trials in the sand. For You have done amazing things and will continue to do amazing things! In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

God’s Timeless Truth

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [curing their pains and their sorrows]. For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.” ~ Psalm 147:3 (AMPC), Luke 1:37 (AMPC)

“Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” ~ Hebrews 12:2-3 (MSG)

From Time with The Timeless One by Lisa Buffaloe https://amzn.to/312k2iL