You are more than a survivor. Hear me out, being a survivor has gotten you this far along. It means that you have overcome opposition and hardship. It’s helped you push through some very difficult times in your life. However, it has also hardened you. The qualities that once helped you survive are now hindering your growth. Because now you are entering into a period of growth. And in this season of growth what you need isn’t survival. What you need is willingness, let’s talk about it.
Survivor- a person who continues to function or prosper in spite of opposition, hardship, or setbacks.
Scripture
Romans 5:3
we can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.
Romans 5:4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
2 Timothy 2:10
So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.
Observation
Now the Bible tells us that opposition, hardship, and setbacks can help us develop strength of character. It polish us as human beings so that we become more humble, loving, disciplined, caring, compassionate, ect. However sometimes we take the opposition, hardship, and setbacks and allow it to make us bitter, angry, depressed, and hold us back. We completely miss the lesson in the trial. We get stuck in survival mode trying to ensure instead progressing into the willingness/growth part of the trial. Trials in life are meant to build our character. It isn’t so much a test of ability but more so a test of willingness to learn and grow. A perfect example of this is Abraham. God was testing his willingness when he asked him to sacrifice his son.
Application
What does have to do with you? You are a survivor. Some one who has made it through some tough times. And as a result, without realizing it, you have lost your willingness to let God take control of your life. Recently, I realized that I had closed myself off to making real, authentic connections with people because of hurts from my past. I had learned to expect the worst in people. And while this is a survival tactic that got me through a very tough time in my life it was no longer suiting me. I unknowingly became intimidating and scary to approach. I felt like I hit a wall. I would attend networking events and meet no one. I would work on projects with other businesses and not be able to connect with anyone. It was the most frustrating thing, until I took it to prayer. And God said you’ve closed yourself off in an attempt to protect yourself. But now you’re entering a season of growth and I need your willingness. I need you to trust me with this area of your life.
Prayer
My prayer for you today is that you enter a season of willingness. That you surrender your survivor instinct and trust that God is going to provide for you. That he is going to make a way. That he is healing the areas in your life that need to heal in order for you to grow! You are more than a survivor! You are a child of God who is confident in his power and his ability to provide for your needs according to his will!
