Overcoming the Easy Button

Have you ever been at the end of your rope and cried out to God for relief? I did last night as I desperately tried to get my daughter to stop crying and finally go to bed (hours after both of our bed times!). Now this is isn't the first time I have prayed that God would bring peace to my crying child, or that I have begged Him to grant me sleep, but this time was different.

As I began to formulate my prayer in my mind I felt God's gentle nudge, a nudge that I hope will change my life. So what was so profound that I hope it changes my life? It was the revelation that as a person who has the Holy Spirit living inside of me my nature has been changed from an under-achiever into an over comer!

The nature of an under-achiever is one who consistently asks for the bar to be lowered in order to accommodate their shortcomings, or unwillingness to do anything. But as a Christian, my nature has been changed to an over comer - one who rises above the situation through the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of me. The Christian life is not about using the power of God as a cosmic 'Easy Button', it is about displaying God's mighty power to save, in spite of our weakness, by surrendering ourselves to the work of His Spirit.

So instead of always asking for God to remove my problems (crying baby!) I was challenged to ask that God would fill me with peace, patience, long-suffering, perseverance, love and compassion for my child - all of which are fruits of the spirit! All of which are things that enable us to overcome otherwise difficult situations. It is that same power that allows us to rejoice in our sufferings and bless those who persecute us.

I wonder how many more of my prayers will be answered now?

So here's to being the over comer's that God has empowered us to be... It's really that easy!