“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” (2 Corinthians 4:8–10, ESV)
“Back in the early 1930s, C.D. “Bigboy” Blalock of Louisiana State University—a six-foot-six-inch giant of a boxer—was taking on a stocky fellow from Mississippi State. In the second round, Bigboy let lose a roundhouse. The Mississippi man stepped in, and his head caught Bigboy’s arm inside the elbow. With the opponent’s head acting as a lever, Bigboy’s arm whipped around in almost full circle, connecting with haymaker force on Bigboy’s own chin. He staggered, grabbed the rope, walked almost all the way around the ring, and then fell flat for the count—the only prizefighter who ever knocked himself out with a right to his own jaw.” (L.M. Boyd)
The moral of the story for Bigboy Blalock? Every now and then, we can be our own worst enemy! We can be our own downfall! We can be the source of our own failure!
In a sermon back in October of 2000, Rev. Paul Fritz noted the way that some Christians tend to be defeatists with a negative attitude, while other Christians have learned to “do all things in the name of Christ Jesus” with an overcomer’s attitude (See Roman 12:1-2). Here’s a few of the words he chose to tell his congregation:
Defeatist Attitudes
* Nobody cares about me and my problems
* Everybody seems to be against me
* I am worried that nothing will work out right
* I am suspicious of others who are against me
* Woe is me. Gloom and doom is all around me
* Life is so hard and I feel so alone
* Why can’t I get the breaks like other people
* Sometimes I get so cynical I have a hard time seeing anything positive
* Sometimes I feel that my life has no real significance
Overcoming Attitudes
* Nothing can separate me from Christ’s love
* If God is for us who can be against us
* I can do everything God asks me to do with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power
* God works all things together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes
* Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God that passes all comprehension will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus
* Be angry, but do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger
* Be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord
* Love believes all things, endures all things, hope all things. Love outlasts anything
As you read the lists from Rev. Fritz, which type of attitude described you the most? Are you an “overcomer” or a “defeatist”?
A young girl sat in the living room watching TV. Her mother was talking on the phone with her best friend. Though enthralled with the TV show, the daughter heard her mother saying things like, “I’m so mad … Why do I keep trying? What was I thinking?” When mother hung up the phone, her daughter turned to her and said, “I guess this means you are “in a mood”?”
Even good-hearted people can be moved with circumstances to be “in a mood”. Even faithful people can become negative, brooding, or defeatist. Why? What does it help? Today’s scripture even challenges the notion that faithful people should languish in a bad mood.
In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul wrote that despite all the “afflictions” Christians had to face in that day, they were “not driven to despair” (2 Corinthians 4:8). These faithful people who witnessed persecution, beatings, stonings, and the deaths of fellow Christians were “persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:9). What kept the people from falling into defeatism and despair? 2 Corinthians 4:10 tells us that they remembered and celebrated the life and death of Jesus. When confronted with hate and persecution and suffering, they remembered how Jesus remained faithful while tortured on the cross. When dealing with life’s difficulties, they kept celebrating “the life of Jesus”. Not getting mired in their suffering or pain, they focused instead on the love of Christ!
When life becomes difficult, it’s all too easy and worldly to fall into despair. It’s no sweat to become a defeatist. Negativity in social media is rampant and destructive. If you follow down the “rabbit hole” of worldly negativity, you will end up depressed and knock yourself right out of the fight! Instead, follow the example of the saints! Focus on Jesus and His love for you! Remember His love! Celebrate His words! Look forward to eternal life with Him!
The world celebrates when you get negative. Many worldly people love it when people give up or give in. Jesus does not! Jesus loves it when you overcome the evils of this world. Heaven celebrates love and faithfulness and peace and hope and all the other godly, overcoming attitudes.
So, where will your mind go today? Will it be mired in negativity and self-defeat? Or will it stay focused on the love of Jesus!
The moral of the story for Bigboy Blalock? Every now and then, we can be our own worst enemy! We can be our own downfall! We can be the source of our own failure!
In a sermon back in October of 2000, Rev. Paul Fritz noted the way that some Christians tend to be defeatists with a negative attitude, while other Christians have learned to “do all things in the name of Christ Jesus” with an overcomer’s attitude (See Roman 12:1-2). Here’s a few of the words he chose to tell his congregation:
Defeatist Attitudes
* Nobody cares about me and my problems
* Everybody seems to be against me
* I am worried that nothing will work out right
* I am suspicious of others who are against me
* Woe is me. Gloom and doom is all around me
* Life is so hard and I feel so alone
* Why can’t I get the breaks like other people
* Sometimes I get so cynical I have a hard time seeing anything positive
* Sometimes I feel that my life has no real significance
Overcoming Attitudes
* Nothing can separate me from Christ’s love
* If God is for us who can be against us
* I can do everything God asks me to do with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power
* God works all things together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes
* Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God that passes all comprehension will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus
* Be angry, but do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger
* Be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord
* Love believes all things, endures all things, hope all things. Love outlasts anything
As you read the lists from Rev. Fritz, which type of attitude described you the most? Are you an “overcomer” or a “defeatist”?
A young girl sat in the living room watching TV. Her mother was talking on the phone with her best friend. Though enthralled with the TV show, the daughter heard her mother saying things like, “I’m so mad … Why do I keep trying? What was I thinking?” When mother hung up the phone, her daughter turned to her and said, “I guess this means you are “in a mood”?”
Even good-hearted people can be moved with circumstances to be “in a mood”. Even faithful people can become negative, brooding, or defeatist. Why? What does it help? Today’s scripture even challenges the notion that faithful people should languish in a bad mood.
In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul wrote that despite all the “afflictions” Christians had to face in that day, they were “not driven to despair” (2 Corinthians 4:8). These faithful people who witnessed persecution, beatings, stonings, and the deaths of fellow Christians were “persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:9). What kept the people from falling into defeatism and despair? 2 Corinthians 4:10 tells us that they remembered and celebrated the life and death of Jesus. When confronted with hate and persecution and suffering, they remembered how Jesus remained faithful while tortured on the cross. When dealing with life’s difficulties, they kept celebrating “the life of Jesus”. Not getting mired in their suffering or pain, they focused instead on the love of Christ!
When life becomes difficult, it’s all too easy and worldly to fall into despair. It’s no sweat to become a defeatist. Negativity in social media is rampant and destructive. If you follow down the “rabbit hole” of worldly negativity, you will end up depressed and knock yourself right out of the fight! Instead, follow the example of the saints! Focus on Jesus and His love for you! Remember His love! Celebrate His words! Look forward to eternal life with Him!
The world celebrates when you get negative. Many worldly people love it when people give up or give in. Jesus does not! Jesus loves it when you overcome the evils of this world. Heaven celebrates love and faithfulness and peace and hope and all the other godly, overcoming attitudes.
So, where will your mind go today? Will it be mired in negativity and self-defeat? Or will it stay focused on the love of Jesus!