Wednesday, November 27, 2013

The Game of Life Increases Your Faith Level


People everywhere are playing games on the social media sites. Candy Crush is one of the favorites. Doctors, lawyers, bankers, stay at home moms, secretaries, teachers and athletes all play. I admit it, I play it as well.  I’m on level 125. I should say I’m stuck on level 125.  It’s ridiculous when I think I’ve had to play some of those levels 50 times before I could pass on to the next level.  Why would anyone spend so much time going over and over and over the same thing?  Everyone I know who plays the game keeps playing and playing and playing. 

I’m reminded of the game of life. We are bound at a level of rejection or indifference or heartbreak.  We want to go past it, move on, but we’re stuck. Sometimes we think it’s not worth the effort and we quit altogether. We’re ready to move on to something else.  Find another way to play.

Life is not really a game but we are participants.  We have to be serious about it to get through.  If we’re content to stay at level one we can do that.  But God is always encouraging us to step up, go up, move up.  There are great rewards at the higher levels with Him. 

We see the more difficult times of our lives as game ending events. But the Lord sees them as life enhancing events. As we go through it all our faith level is increased with every level.  God will give us the strength to go on when we lay that rejection at His feet, knowing that He was despised and rejected Himself. He knows how it feels and yet He went on to the cross, stepped into hell, rose again and is sitting at God’s right hand!

Sometimes the levels seem like a breeze, other times they are especially hard. But as long as we keep Jesus with us, helping us every step of the way, we will be victorious over the small things and eventually we will be victorious over it all.

Winners are not those who are better, have it all together or know the cheats. No, winners are those who know their limitations, see their inabilities clearly and call upon the One who knows how to navigate every degree of their lives.  Winners cannot be pointed out for their strength or their charisma or their talents. Real winners are those who have simply kept playing the game of life and never quit, always relying on the Lord Who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think.

Oh beloved, if you decided it was easier to quit, God is lovingly calling you to get back in the game. It doesn’t matter what someone else has declared about you, you are destined to win. It doesn’t matter what kinds of obstacles to the next level you encounter, God has declared you an overcomer.  Nothing can keep you from winning because God loves you and He’s for you and that’s all you will ever need to be a winner in life.  

2 Kings 3:18 But this is only a simple thing for the Lord, for He will make you victorious over the army of Moab!

James 1:12 Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor’s] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him. (Amplified)

I John 5:4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.

Psalm 44:3 They did not conquer the land with their swords; it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory. It was Your right hand and strong arm and the blinding light from Your face that helped them, for You loved them.

1 Corinthians 15:57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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