Optimist Roundtable 6/3
By Martha Sykes
In 2013, recording artist Mandisa, released a song entitled “Overcomer” and then in 2019, a movie by the same title was released. This song and the video, as well as the movie, is so good to listen to as it speaks about having a lot on our minds, nothing going right, and through all of that we look for a ray of hope.” Whatever it is you may be going through, I know He’s not gonna let it get the best of you” are some powerful lyrics in that song.
In the book of I John,chapter 5,the apostle John wrote to give believers confidence that they had the promise of eternal life. In verse 4, he says, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith”. He is referring to genuine believers as overcomers. The Greek word that’s translated “overcomes or overcomer” means “to conquer”or “to have victory”.
John writes about overcoming the evil in the world through our faith in Jesus Christ. Even though the word overcome is throughout the New Testament, he speaks about it more than anyone else.
Jesus even spoke about Himself as an overcomer in the world when He said,”These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”. Just as Jesus overcame the world, we too can overcome the evil in this world by believing in Jesus and keeping our faith.
As I was reflecting on what to write this week and this song was on my mind, I wanted to think about what advice we could give to our graduates this week as they leave high school and enter this crazy world. We can pray for their plan that God has for them in their lives, but most of all we can include a prayer that they will know Jesus, and believe in Him as they continue to fulfill their dreams and enter their individual career paths.These last two years of their education has been a challenge in itself and they have already had to overcome a few obstacles in their journey to graduation. The world has changed so much in the thirteen years that they have been in school and now they will be faced with carrying on in a world full of uncertainties and decisions that they will have to make for their futures.
One of the most important gifts we can give to our graduates is our prayers that they will believe that God loves them and that they will have faith that God will be there to direct their path and help them to overcome whatever comes their way. May blessings follow them through life wherever Jesus will lead them and may the Holy Spirit give them understanding to cope and be successful.
