Overcomer

Everyone will wake up to a day filled with bad news at some point in their life. A call late at night, an unwelcome diagnosis, a visit from a police officer, a letter sent out to the employees of your company. Perhaps, for you it was an early break in water, pre-term labor, a heartbeat not detected, fearful tears during a sonogram, or bleeding during early pregnancy. Should I go on? Unfortunately, we are all part of a club that is heartbreakingly large because we all have had this type of bad news one way or another.

Before this bad news hit my heart, I was a blissfully ignorant Christ follower. I am a faithful and busy servant to my Father, my husband, my children, my church, an orphan ministry, my home, my family, my friends, my community, and my job. I felt like I had it all right, and that I was one of the few on my way to the narrow gate (Matthew 7:14). So, I should have been exempt from this type of bad news, right? Sure, I have felt anguish prior to becoming a Hope Mom. I have lost loved ones. I have even watched my parents walk this journey of grief and loss when my brother was gone too soon. But, the ripping of my child from my body before I was ready was a whole new level of despair for me.

Jesus tells us in John 16:33a, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation.”

Tribulation is a cause of great trouble or suffering. Notice that Jesus said “you will have tribulation” not “if you have tribulation” or “you might have tribulation.” Obviously, I needed to read this Scripture a few more times and burn it into my heart. Even if we are not of this world, until the day we enter Glory we are in this world—a fallen place where God’s armor is needed daily for spiritual warfare.

We will experience suffering, hurt, pain, and anything else this sinful world can throw at us. The thought of this makes me weary. I sit here and sigh with a deep breath because the weight of this reality is so very heavy. We are not exempt from losing the babies that we love so dearly and diligently prayed for

Jesus, come.

Praise God, Jesus didn’t stop there in verse 33 of John 16. In the second half of the verse, Jesus continues, “But take heart; I have overcome the world.” He has overcome the fallen, the suffering, the hurt, and the pain. As God’s children this means that we can discover peace in the midst of our agony.

Another key word in this verse is “have.” Jesus didn’t say “I will try to overcome the world” or “I plan on overcoming the world.” He said “I have overcome the world.” It is finished, He has defeated sin and death. I find great peace knowing that whatever may come my way, He has already vanquished it. We can be tranquil despite the great agony of loss.

I can transparently say that I was not able to use the word “tranquil” to describe myself throughout this entire journey. It is a process and path that I have found will never end. I have grown in my relationship with Christ in ways that would not have been possible had I not held a life that is now in His arms. I have never been so close to heaven knowing that a piece of me, my darling daughter, is there experiencing the fulness of God in all His glory.

I have used the word lose or loss, but in actuality Blair is not lost. I know exactly where she is and where I will reunite with her one glorious day. Does that mean the pain and grief does not exist? Unfortunately not. But it definitely gives me the strength to count it all joy when I meet trials of various kinds (James 1:2). This isn’t a euphoric kind of joy; it is a calm delight that I God has established in my life over a period of time. This type of joy is something that has been practiced ever since that terrifying November day when I said goodbye to my baby. Loving Blair and then knowing she was with the Lord sooner than I selfishly desired, has given me the ability to not link my joy to my immediate circumstances, but to eternity instead.

Sweet sisters, my prayer is that you would find solace in the fact that Jesus has already overcome the world, our situations, and our hurts. I pray that during this journey you can search and strive towards the type of joy spoken of in the book of James. Because of Him, you are an overcomer no matter where you are at in your Hope Mom journey!

This post originally appeared on the blog on September 12, 2015

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Calli Williams is a passionate Christ follower. Calli is married to Jared, and has six children: Gavyn, Grant, Bertie, Gwyneth, Blair, who has been in Glory since November 2014, and Brynne, who joined their family in November 2015. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading when she can steal a quiet moment, using her creativity to craft, and splurging on anything chocolate.

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