Do we even have a chance?

I look at the world around us today and my heart sinks. Do we even have a chance? I mean, really?

We're surrounded, daily, by an overload of lies being fed to us as truth.We're blasted by images from the media, from the computer, from Facebook, from email, from well-meaning or not-so-well-meaning friends, from co-workers and even our bosses, that make our hearts shrink. That increase our fears. That decrease our faith. That enlarge our earthly desires. And degenerate our souls.

Pornography. It's EVERYWHERE, in some form or another. We pray for our husbands and spouses and family members to be spared, but how is it even possible? They can turn on ABC "Family" channel and be hit by (maybe not a graphic image but nevertheless) temptation. Not to mention the evil pop-ups on even reputable websites. Those men interested in guns or hunting or other "manly man" activities especially are targeted, because of the ads shown on those particular sites and magazines are the worst. And think about it - the Victoria Secret magazine doesn't even make anyone blush anymore. Maybe our husbands don't see that, but what does it do to us as women? Make us feel inferior. Make us feel like failures. Make us feel hopeless. Make us google things like "pros and cons of breast enhancements" and make us wish those exercises in the infamous Judy Blume book actually worked.

That's not all. Think about it.

Jealousy. We're surrounded by reminders that we aren't enough, and by the lies that our friends, family, and coworkers are. We don't have what they do, and their grass is OH so greener. They're happier. They're richer. They're on top of it all. We envy their success and material possessions and lifestyle.

Competition. As moms, we especially fall into these traps. We think the Pinterest lady on Facebook that's posting crafts and recipes she's mastered with her kids is Super Mom.She's somehow managed to clean her house top to bottom, take a homemade lasagna to the widow in her church, teach her preschooler to read, potty trained her toddler and organized her children's rooms with Pottery Barn worthy furniture - all in one day. While we're just grateful the dishes in the sink aren't actually overflowing onto the floor and we managed to have a quiet time for ten minutes before the kids woke up.

We marinate in the lies all day  - because we can't get away from them. They're on Facebook, on TV, in the mail, and coming at us from all sides from the people we interact with in person daily. How does a man resist the vulgar jokes told at work or the laptop screen shoved in his face? How does a woman resist the endless commercials and magazine photos telling her she needs THIS product to be beautiful? How do we ignore the lies that money makes us happier when people at work or church are showing off their new car or their new designer purse or bragging about their children's accomplishment?

Do we even have a chance at a victorious life in Christ?? Where is the joy? The contentment? The peace the Bible talks about?

It's in Him. Jesus. Just Jesus.

If we don't plug into Him daily - DAILY - we definitely do not have a chance. If we don't pray and read Scriptures and fill our minds with quality devotionals and materials that counter the lies with truth, we will never have a chance. If we don't carry on an endless conversation with Jesus in our heart through out the day, we will  never have a chance. If we don't pray like we mean it for our friends and family members and spouses, they'll never have a chance.

This isn't meant to add pressure to you. Because the fate of the world isn't on your shoulders, it's on Christ's. The fate of our family member or spouses' heart and soul isn't your responsibility  It's Christ's. But we are called to be involved. And your prayers might be the instrument God uses to perform emergency spiritual surgery. Your faith could be what God uses to inspire a struggling Christian nearby. Your example might be what God uses to give someone courage to stand up for what is right. To shut the laptop. To throw away the magazine. To change the channel or better yet, turn it off altogether.

But it all boils down to Jesus. To the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives that can bring real change. The Holy Spirit leads us and prompts us to turn it off, put it away, ignore it, brush it off, pray, intercede, and bind the enemy. Whatever is needed. If you keep your heart tuned to Jesus, you'll have a chance. In fact, you'll have victory.

Because greater is He Who is in us, than he who is in the world.

Jesus has already won.

So relax. Breathe. Throw away the trash. Pray. Live for Him. Rinse and repeat. It's going to be a struggle until we get to Heaven. But it's not impossible.