Yesterday, the Lord said to me, “Refuse to become a victim of other people’s brokenness.” It was a specific instruction for a specific situation in my life. The Lord was reminding me that adopting a victim mentality is never God’s will.
Later in the day, Jan was writing words of encouragement to friends experiencing times of challenge regarding a variety of issues that could easily lead them to engage in victimhood. When Jan writes a blessing she takes Scriptures and uses it to craft her blessings. As I read what Jan wrote, I pulled a few excerpts from her writing to lay the context for why becoming a victim in any context is never from God.
“Your faithfulness to keep every gracious promise you made passes from parents to children to grandchildren and beyond—to all who follow your ways and keep your word.”
“Help us in our confusion, fear, and unbelief. Without denying the facts in our present reality, we deny their right for them to contradict your word. And now because we see you with new eyes, we can see others with a new perspective; what was related to the old has vanished—everything is fresh and new.”
To not become a victim requires that we place our faith in what God has promised in His word. It requires that the confusion, fear, and unbelief we feel not be permitted to contradict God’s word or any promise He has made to us. Those faith-killing things, if believed, will blind our spiritual sight. When the eyes of our faith take control of what we see in the brokenness of others, the acknowledgment of God’s unfailing love will keep us standing in a place of faith never allowing us to succumb to the lure of victimhood.
Thanks for a timely reminder, Garris.
Daniel’s friends were respectful but steadfast in declaring to Nebuchadnezzar a triumphant posture empowered by their faith – instead of an appeal for empathy/sympathy about the religious oppression/victimization of those who believed as they did. “Our God is ABLE to deliver us……but even if He does not, we will NOT bow down.”
Let’s use our leadership to strengthen people to stand for Kingdom values and a pure faith regardless of the costs, and know that hurt people hurt people. It’s how we cooperate with Holy Spirit that determines how well we cope with life’s injustices.