“It’s not victory that makes a man. It’s his defeats.”
― Pierce Brown
I see rays of brilliance in Mr. Brown’s writing. And he’s right, sometimes our life gets trashed!
Unfortunately, while there are grains of truth in what he writes, there is a vast difference between standing on bedrock and standing on shifting sand.
Jesus Himself said, we each must choose whether we will build our lives on the rock or the sand, correct? However, I do agree with Mr. Brown when he says that it is “our defeats” that are the making of us.
I believe—it is the storm that reveals what you have built your life upon.
And Dad always said…
Calm seas do not a skillful mariner make.
It is true. The very events that tear our lives apart, are often the things that will eventually be the making of character traits like perseverance, endurance, and courage.
I could wish it were otherwise—but it is not.
After sixty-plus years of fire and flood, I have to confess that it has been those storms that Jesus has seen me through, that have revealed things that before were hidden from my eyes.
A God who looks on the heart and sees “trashed” as treasure!
Most of us know the story of the psalmist David.
Samuel has come to anoint a new king for Israel from among Jesse’s sons. Samuel looks at each one present and then asks Jesse, “Is this all your sons?” And, red faced Jesse has to admit, “Well, there is another one, but he is out tending the sheep.”
No one even thought of calling David to this meeting with the prophet.
So often that is how it is with the broken and the prodigals. We tend to judge by the outward appearance. Surely, we think, for this job God will choose from the strongest, the wealthiest, the most popular.
Our lives do get trashed sometimes.
Our worship may be weak, wobbling, and full of doubts.
Ah, but doesn’t the Bible say that God chooses the foolish things?
But God chose those whom the world considers foolish to shame those who think they are wise, and God chose the puny and powerless to shame the high and mighty. He chose the lowly, the laughable in the world’s eyes—nobodies—so that he would shame the somebodies. For he chose what is regarded as insignificant in order to supersede what is regarded as prominent, so that there would be no place for prideful boasting in God’s presence. 1 Corinthians 1: 27-29 TPT
Let us not forget, even among the weakest of God’s worshipers, there be mighty lions in the making.
Women With Destiny 
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