Living down or living up?

You know, sometimes we just live down to what people expect of us instead of living up to who we truly are! I always say, if you know who you are, you don't have to prove who you are! As a young child my dad used words like stupid, failure, you will never amount to anything, just quit school and get a job! All encouraging remarks huh?

Well you know something? I grew up living down to those expectations and my life was a mess. I have read books by Max Lucado, and Pat Williams, Facing your Giants and Coach Woodens 7 principles to live by. Both these books, and of course many others out there are very encouraging, yet before I had these books in my life I needed to make a decision.

That decision was not to allow what people think of me determine who I am and what I will become. The first step was getting saved, asking Jesus into my life put me on the road to a life more victorious than I have ever experienced. The next step for me was developing a spirit of forgiveness, I had read in God's word that if I do not forgive, or how I forgive will be how I am forgiven. (Matthew 6:14-15)

I began my journey toward victory when I could forgive those who hurt me, without expectation they would change and be different. I was the one who needed victory over defeat, I was the one who carried my past into my future. What I came to realize was this, I was carrying their past into my future too! I needed to be set free and only Jesus could do that.

I had been set free, I was no longer carrying their baggage with me, but what about my future encounters with those who would be adversaries? We will always have them in our life, but it is what we do, and how we accept what they say to and about us. Reading books like Facing you Giants, and 7 principles to live by remind us that others have had to face obstacles in their lives, yet remained true to themselves and God.

Never placing these books and authors above the Bible and Gods principles, but using them as tools along side and being reminded, how we can continue to live victoriously in this world of adversity! The word of God is not the back up book, it is the book that these authors encourage us from, yet with illustrations of life experiences, and how people turn to God's word and to Jesus to make the difference needed.

Victory is just a choice away, you can live down to the world's expectation, or live up to what God has created you to be, a child of the King! The choice is yours, Jesus is waiting, call to Him, ask Him to be the Lord of your life, you will not be disappointed! (Romans 8:15-17, 9:33, 10:9-13)