Thought # 37 The greatest victory

 

Everything is possible to the one who believes. Mark 9.23

Perhaps this is the most unlimited, most inspiring and motivating Thought of Jesus. So much being said in so few words. It opens the doors to imagination. It invigorates the discouraged one and shows us that what we want depends on us alone and no one else.

Oftentimes, the mistake we make is to compare ourselves to other people. We think they are our competitors. We want to be better than, or at least as good as, they are. Then, we rate our performance according to theirs. We’re happy whenever we do better than they did, and we’re sad when we don’t. Our thinking is completely wrong, because our biggest competition is in fact, ourselves. We have to be the main focus of what we want to overcome.

How many are those who overcome super strong enemies, but succumb to their own selves? Mike Tyson, the famous American boxer, conquered every title that a boxer can have. He had an astounding career. He pulverized his opponents in the ring, one by one. At times, all it would take were a few seconds. He became a famous, millionaire sportsman. However, outside the ring, Tyson could not overcome himself: he was married and divorced three times, convicted of rape and sent to prison, assaulted people on the street, became an alcoholic and a drug addict; he eventually declared bankruptcy and recently confessed that he almost died because of his addictions. The score of his fight against himself is yet to be decided.

However, we are not better than he is. We all make the mistake of trying to succeed by overcoming the external enemies, but what we accomplish on the outside depends on what we have inside, our faith. What makes everything possible is what we believe, and belief is something that is within each individual. That is why the biggest victory is to overcome yourself.

Using this power, which is within you, everything will be possible for you.

Doubt sees the obstacles, whereas faith sees the path; doubt sees the darkness of the night, whereas faith sees the dawn of day; doubt hesitates in taking a step, faith soars in the heights; doubt asks, “who believes?” and faith replies, “I do.”

What about you, do you believe?

Application: There is faith in you, because it is a gift from God to everyone. Stimulate this faith, exercise it, and put it to work. Overcome yourself and all things will be possible for you.

What if you start to compete against yourself from now on? And, what if you determine to overcome yourself, by each day becoming a little better and greater than the day before? And what if you start to believe that, with God’s help, everything really is possible for you? What would you try to accomplish if you were sure that you would make it? Leave your comment.