Winning at Losing

Even if you're not competitive or don't participate in athletic events or take part in recitals or whatever, you are most likely playing a game every single day, and LOSING.  Every single day.

I lost just moments ago.  And it wasn't the first time today, either.

You see, I saw this picture of my friend Paula on facebook.  I played the game.  And lost.

She's a published author (check out her great book Confessions of a Boy-Crazy Girl) and works with Nancy Leigh DeMoss at Revive Our Hearts.  Today, she's recording programs at FamilyLife Today.  LOVE what God is doing in and through my friend from college.

BUT, at the same time, I had that nasty feeling of jealousy sneak into my heart.  I have dreams of being a published author.  I would love to write a book and minister to women (especially my fellow mamas) in that way.  I would love to impact their lives and their families.  Like Paula is with her book and radio broadcasts and speaking engagements and such.

And so I start thinking and asking questions: Why can't I be like Paula?  Why does she get to do all these amazing things while I'm at home with my girls cleaning up messes and changing diapers?  

I get frustrated and begin to complain: It's not fair!!!  I'm just as talented as she is.  What makes her so special to get all the breaks...

See how quickly that happened.  I played the comparison game.  And lost.  BIG TIME.

The only person happy about this is my sneaky opponent whose sole purpose is to defeat me.  Satan's goal is to get me to play a game I can't ever win.  He tricks me into playing time and time again, day in and day out, without ever realizing I am playing.  And losing.

He cheers when I lose.

God, on the other hand, does not like when I play this silly game.  It saddens Him.   Breaks is heart, actually.

He has already given us victory over sin and Satan, so when we let him defeat us, God must be devastated.

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, 

God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 

having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, 

which stood against us and condemned us; 

he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, 

he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Sadly, I play this stupid comparison game far too often.  Satan has come up with so many variations of the game and made it seem like a normal part of my daily life that I don't even realize I am playing most of the time.  Thankfully, God helped me realize my mistake as I saw Paula's picture in my newsfeed.

I know Satan won't give up today though, or any day for that matter.  

He'll try to get me to play when I see another mom post a picture of some creative project she did with her kids.  He'll want me to feel bad that I didn't do the same thing.  He'll want me to think I'm not the best mom. 

He'll try to get me to play when I see someone post a picture of a delicious meal they made for supper.  He'll want me to believe I should have spent more time preparing a tasty dish for my family too.

He'll try to get me to play when I see someone post a picture of the outfit they're wearing for Easter. He'll want to me feel guilty for not getting my girls new dresses or a new dress for myself.  He'll want me to feel fat and ugly because I wouldn't be able to fit into that dress and look as good as she does anyway.  

He'll try to get to me to play when someone posts pictures of the fun they are having on vacation.  He'll want me to be jealous that I'm not on vacation too.  

I could go on and on and on.  For every interaction I have with someone, Satan presents the opportunity for me to play his silly game.  The game I can never win.

For even when I compare myself to others and wrongly think I am better than them, I have lost.  

I don't know about you, but I am tried of winning at losing.  

I am tired of falling prey to Satan's tricks.  I am tired of playing his stupid game.

And so I quit.  But, I'll have to quit again in 5 minutes.  And again in 10 minutes.   And again and again and again and again all day long.  

Wanna quit with me?

Let's be quitters together!

I don't usually suggest quitting or giving up, but in this case, it's the best possible option.

As we quit, may we remember we're already winners in God's eyes (and HIS opinion is the only one that matters anyway):

For you created my inmost being;

    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14 

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

    your works are wonderful,

    I know that full well.

15 

My frame was not hidden from you

    when I was made in the secret place,

    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

16 

Your eyes saw my unformed body;

    all the days ordained for me were written in your book

    before one of them came to be.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Instead of comparing ourselves to others, and always losing at that game, let's instead focus on the TRUTH that God created us just the way He wanted, with unique gifts and abilities and talents.  As we seek His will and delight ourselves in Him, as we live out the plans and purposes God has for us, we will be satisfied and fulfilled and build each other up and help each other become the men and women God intended us to be in the first place.  

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, 

but the same Spirit is the source of them all.

There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord.

God works in different ways, 

but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. 

Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 

so it is with Christ’s body. 

We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. 

So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, 

speak out with as much faith as God has given you.

If your gift is serving others, serve them well. 

If you are a teacher, teach well.

If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. 

If it is giving, give generously. 

If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. 

And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. 

Use them well to serve one another.

Do you have the gift of speaking? 

Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. 

Do you have the gift of helping others? 

Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. 

Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. 

All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

Instead of winning at losing, let's quit playing Satan's awful game.  Let's come together, be on the same team, and work towards a common goal -- bringing massive amounts of glory to God's awesome name!

When we do that, we'll all be winners!!! 

*Funny side note: as I was typing out this blog post about my dreams of being a published author, I got a phone call from Author House about publishing 2 children's books I wrote and submitted years ago!!!  This is a self-publishing company, not like Zondervan or something like that, and so I would pay all the upfront costs and other expenses as the book was published.  I had to laugh and smile as the lady explained all this to me.  I asked her to send me an email with all the information so I could SEE it and talk with Lawrence about this opportunity.  We'll see what happens....