"Beat the Self-Defeat"

I have the pleasure of working with a boy who is labeled as anxious and socially withdrawn. He gets angered easily and usually has no desire to socialize with his peers. The boy would rather kick a ball alone than play a game with other children. Sometimes one can say something to him that is taken the wrong way, resulting with an inability to regulate his emotions. However, one day, I witnessed him conquer those labels that often hold him back. He asked if he could read a story aloud. He did not panic or give up. The boy stood in front of all his peers and confidently read an entire book.

This inspires me to focus on the passage from Romans 8, “In all these things we are more than conquerers through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus (v. 37-39).”

What are the labels that hold us back? As imperfect people, we tend to focus on our flaws and play the sympathy game. People call themselves awful names and cut themselves down until they loose all confidence. We have a way of listening to thoughts in the back of our mind that tell us we are not good enough. God knows that we will fall into this trap and wants us to be protected from the negative cycle that we get ourselves into. Romans 8:28 states, “ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. What then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us (v. 31)?” We are not meant to be ruled by our emotions, but be able to conquer and overcome them because God is on our side.

You may be wondering if I believe that God's spirit was working through this little boy. I don't know that for certain. However, I do believe that witnessing this interaction allowed me to be reminded of the power of God's love, and the confidence that He has in us. The confidence that encourages us to conquer any challenge that we are given in this lifetime. I am reminded of the promise of God's unconditional love and support that is freely given to His children.