My story

About thirty years ago, I accepted that I was powerless to change my life. I acknowledged that I was a hypocrite, religious outwardly but a raging sinner when no one was looking (and even when some were)! I came face to face with my need for a Savior. My family was great and I had been raised to know the truth of God. Yet, I was a hypocrite, I was afraid of dying and I had no peace or purpose for my life. I had no desire to follow God’s ways and I was desperately lonely. In a crisis that lasted a few weeks, I admitted that I was powerless to change. I faced the fact that formal religion was not working for me. I acknowledged that I had no peace in my heart. I came to see that I was only living for myself and my own acclaim. I was trapped by bad choices. I had a religion, but no meaningful relationship with God. I was raw. My life was filled with no-win scenarios.

Human history is replete with no-win scenarios. During Dark Age Europe, people accused of witchcraft were bound in chains and thrown into a river. How would the authorities know the true witch? Witches would float, since everyone knew they called upon the Devil. So the floating accused would be hauled out of the water and executed. Talk about double jeopardy! The sinking accused would drown, thus “proving their innocence of witchcraft.” The classic no-win scenario.

The Apostle Paul comes along and writes in Romans 5 that we should “Rejoice in the hope of the glory of God…Rejoice in our sufferings.” Paul talks like Captain Kirk in Star Trek who said “I don’t believe in a no-win scenario.” Captain Kirk was taking the devishly unwinnable Kobayashi Maru exam designed by Commander Spock. The test had no good options, so Kirk cheated and won.

Faced with no-win scenarios, I abandoned my heart to Jesus. By a miracle of God’s grace, I gave my life to Jesus, and went from Raw to REAL. I soon discovered that for the Christ follower, there are NOT “no’win” scenarios, nor are there “lose-lose” situations. My choices in life are not limited to being hanged, shot, or poisoned. No matter what comes my way in this life, as a Christ follower, God gives lavish gifts to me and urges me to Rejoice. Reflecting on Romans 5, I realize even tonight, I can rejoice because:

• I am at peace with God
• I know my God’s name and can call on Him any time
• I have Hope…now and for eternity
• My sufferings are not meaningless, they are not random, they are not pointless. They produce godly character in my life and make me truly REAL.
• God's power is at work to make me alive
• I am free from judgment
• I am reconciled to God
• I am saved. Thus, because of all these reasons to rejoice, I am never faced with a no-win scenario. © Ray Woolridge 2010