An Overcomer, Not a Surivor

     Survivor by definition means a person who continues to function or prosper in spite of opposition, hardship, or setbacks. For a long time that was how I identified myself, I survived a house fire and two near drownings before I was six years old. I survived being sexually assaulted, and my own abuse of drugs and alcohol. I survived being bullied by my peers for most of the years I spent in school. I survived more than one emotionally and psychologically abusive relationships, I survived through the depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. Everyday that's all I thought about, surviving one more day and trying to make it.
      But recently there has been a song playing on Klove that has gotten into my head and I can't let go of it. It's 'Overcomer' by Mandisa, (not sure if I spelled her name right or not so please forgive me!)  the more I have listened to this song the more it seems to resonate with me, until I realized one day that it was because I am not a survivor, I am an overcomer through Jesus Christ.
      An overcomer isn't some one who just gets through something and goes on with life, they are someone who, by definition, prevails, conquers, or defeats the opposition. And this is what I feel has happened, because I am no longer just surviving after these events in my life, I am no longer just living with the memories, but God is using them and healing the scars that were left behind. He has taken all the pain, and heart break from what could have broken me, or killed me, to be blunt, and has given in it's a place an opportunity to use it to help others.
      I am no longer calling myself a survivor, because I am not merely surviving, I am thriving within the Lord, our great comforter and restorer. When we finally decide to let go of the pain, to hand it over to God and allow Him to use it for His purposes, it is possible to overcome anything. We were not meant to just simply survive, but to overcome our opposition and in doing so proclaiming the glory of our heavenly Father, because it is through Him all strength to overcome is found.

Romans 12:21
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

1 John 4:4

4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.