And The Winner Is!

Nothing irritates Satan more than us choosing God over our pain and suffering. We can endure everything if we know Jesus is sitting next to us. Joni Eareckson Totta



Have you ever been in a position where there was someone around you that was great to irritate or irritated you greatly? I would swear my brother liked to irritate me when we were kids but he would say it was the other way around. Just because I threw him between a barking dog and me after I “irritated” the dog my brother seems to think I like to torment him. Well maybe a little bit I do. Okay perhaps a lot.


With practice it doesn’t take much to figure out what buttons to push with some people to annoy them. Satan is no different. He knows what aggravates us and it’s important to know what gets on his nerves. The simple act of choosing God over our pain will do the trick.


Between kids, seeing who can irritate each other the most is a game they like to play. It’s a type of race to the top of the annoyance ladder to see who wins. However, when we choose God over our pain and suffering it’s not done in competition to get back at Satan for “picking on us first.” It’s not a game to play but more of a survival of the fittest. It’s knowing what works best and putting it into action.


What an awesome feeling it is to know that we can endure all things thanks to God. It is not because we outwitted, out annoyed Satan it’s because of our trust and faith in God that makes it possible. It is the knowing in our hearts that He is right there beside us as we live out that knowledge no matter what the circumstances surrounding us.


Too often we imagine God has abandoned us because we are experiencing “pain and suffering” but that isn’t the case. Instead of looking at pain and suffering as a weapon God is using to get even with us, we need to use it as a tool to further our growth as Christians. Christians who are willing to take a stand against Satan and his schemes and loudly say, “I choose God over all else.”


In my case, it doesn’t make sense to allow cancer to win in both areas of my life both physically and spiritually. I may never get rid of the bone and breast cancer my body carries but I can win spiritually by choosing a healthy life with God. A life strengthened in God, destined for eternity with Him and it begins with choosing God.


Most certainly opting God doesn’t get rid of the pain and suffering. I already had chosen God long before breast and bone cancer chose me but because I continue to make Him my number one pick I will come out ahead where it really counts, spiritually.


Indeed when we take the time to put the two on a scale it doesn’t take long to see which one out weighs the other: 1) Choosing the consequences of giving in to our pain and suffering or 2) Choosing God? And the winner is: God!  And thanks to Him we can be winners too.


© 2011 Karen J Gillett @ Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing