A few years ago, my step-dad made a statement that changed my perspective when going through trials. At the time, I was experiencing what I considered to be roadblocks at work and was telling him how frustrated I was. His advice to me was to turn my frustration into faith-filled victories by focusing on the blessings that I had received at my job. Then he paused for a moment and said, “Sony, you can’t keep writing the devil’s resume”. His statement changed my perspective instantly. I understood exactly what he was saying to me. Every time we complain it’s like we’re adding another accomplishment to the enemy’s resume and by doing this, we’re giving him way too much credit in our lives.
We can’t be so focused on what we perceive to be as problems and disappointments that we overlook the blessings that God is giving to us. Moreover, sometimes we misidentify a blessing as a burden and are unknowingly giving credit to the enemy for the blessings that God is giving to us. Everything that makes us uncomfortable, disappoints us, or even appears to be a set-back isn’t the work of the enemy, sometimes it’s God working through our circumstances to prepare us for a blessing, save us from something that may not be good for us, or aid us in growing in Him.
Let’s stop writing the devil’s resume and focusing on negativity. Let’s counter-attack the enemy’s attacks and lies by focusing more on God and looking for Him in every situation that we’re in whether it’s good or bad. Now let me clarify, this doesn’t mean that we can be sinful and look for the good in the sin. We can’t think that God will not correct us when we aren’t obedient to Him or are not disciplined in what He tells us to do. He will forgive us, but he will also correct our behavior which may not always feel good, but it’s for our good.
What I am referring to is when you know in your heart that you have prayed and talked to God, followed His guidance, exercised your faith, and showed your obedience to Him and things maybe didn’t go the way that you thought that they should. We have to guard our hearts and minds during the hard times especially by not listening to the enemy’s lies and propaganda. It’s during these times he will try to confuse you and distort your thinking. He’ll want you to tell everybody how upset and disappointed you are so that he is more relevant in your thoughts and possibly actions. This is when we have to counter-attack!
I am challenging you to write God’s resume highlighting what God has done wherever you may be frustrated or feeling defeated. Each time you have a negative thought about what you may be going through or how you are feeling, think of the positive things that you have experienced in your growth or something positive that can come from it and add it to the resume. Take a picture of God’s resume and put it on your phone, on your work desk, your refrigerator, or somewhere you can easily access it, meditate on it, and add to it. This will remind you of how God is working in your life!
James 1: 2-4
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces stead-fastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.