Math was my least favorite subject in school and for good reason. Numbers give me hives. Well, maybe not literally but at least they do mentally. To this day, I don’t balance my checkbook, keep track of receipts or add numbers in my head.
Now, I suppose I could do those things if I really wanted to, but why would anyone in their right mind ever want to count money, balance checkbooks or work a quadratic equation? (Although, I will say I am glad that some of you do, so that I can call you when I get into a mess.)
Having said all that, I found it strange that the first thing that popped into my head when I read Chapter 18, Paragraph #1 (Are you impressed that I just used two different numbers in one sentence J) was a math equation. Lysa basically said this:
Sacrifice + Repentance = Victory
We all want victory. There’s a lot of talk these days about victorious living. We are supposed to name it, claim it and walk in it but few of us want to do what it takes to have it.
Sacrifice
Anything worth having requires work. That’s what makes it valuable. If any old couch potato could go to Target and buy an Olympic Medal there would be no glory in winning one.
Scripture is clear:
- God’s servants are supposed to suffer hardship so that they can win the prize (II Timothy 2:3-5).
- We are to lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and run with endurance the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1).
- Daily we should forget what lies behind and reach forward to what lies ahead (Philippians 3:13).
Victorious living requires sacrifice. But that’s not enough, repentance is also required.
Repentance
In the Greek this word implies an expression of deep regret, accompanied by a change of mind and a change of conduct. In other words, I need to tell God I am sorry, I was wrong, and that with His help I am going to do it differently.
Repentance isn’t just something we do when we first come to know Christ. Nor is it to be relegated to Communion Sunday. Repentance is a way of life. During my average day it may sound something like this:
- Lord, I am sorry for thinking that I know what I need better than you do. Next time help me run to you instead of food.
- Forgive me for caring more about what I want than who you are. Tender my heart so that it desires you above all else.
- I confess that my faith is weak and everything in me wants to believe that eating sugar is better than obeying you. Help my unbelief, and show me your way of escape.
Living victoriously requires ongoing repentance.
Sacrifice + Repentance = Victory is one math equation that makes sense, even to me.
What About You?
What does sacrifice and repentance look like in your life?
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