Bitter or Better –it’s a matter of “I”

Bitter or Better –it’s a matter of “I”

1 John 5:4, 5. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

James 1: 21, 22“Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Do not be just hearers of the Word but doers of the Word.

We face difficult situations. Life hits you hard. Life gets tough. How do you respond? When you go through tough times in life, do should not allow the tough times to go through you. When you go through the storm, do not allow the storm to go through you. To allow the storm to go through you or keep it out is your choice.

No matter who says what, or what happens, it’s your choice to be bitter or better. To be bitter or better is a matter of a difference of a letter, the letter I. It all depends on you. You cannot change everybody around you to make you feel better. Whoever is born of God has overcome the world. If you are born of God, you have the possibility of having undisturbed peace.

It makes us think that it probably was impossible for the disciples, not to be troubled when Jesus began to tell them of His death and the Cross. The disciples had left all to follow Jesus hoping that soon a day would come when Jesus would do away with the Roman empire and he’d become King. The disciples were hoping to reign with Him and here was Jesus talking about Laying down His life, doing the will of the one who sent Him, the Cross and going to a place where the disciples will not be able to come. Jesus knew everything that His disciples would go through. But at this juncture, Jesus says in John 14: 1,” Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God. Believe also in me.” God is a just and fair God. Whatever He asks of us is possible otherwise He wouldn’t ask us. When Jesus asked His disciples not be troubled, He meant it. To let your heart not to be troubled is a possibility. If you are born of God, you can overcome the world. It’s all about how much you value the Word of God.

Emotions are not the result of your circumstances. It is the result of your thought process. If you choose to have right thoughts, you will have right emotions. We need to make a conscious choice not to catch every thought the evil one throws at us when we are pressed. We need to tell ourselves that, “I have the mind of Christ and I am called to live above and crumble underneath the pressures of life.”. Let us not forget to remember once again that whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.