What you’re going through doesn’t have to change who you are. Don’t let these circumstances get in your head. Don’t let this situation change what you believe about yourself.
What you believe about you must be non-circumstantial. No matter where you are, no matter what is going on around you, who you are must be grounded in the truths of God. It’s not your success. It’s not your failure. It’s who you carry in you that makes you who you are. Romans 8:37, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
You are more than a conqueror. That’s who you are. And it’s not because you have a track record of winning. It’s not because you always get it right. It’s solely because of the power of Jesus that dwells within you through all circumstances. This is how you get up again after you’ve been knocked down. This is how you overcome that big setback. This is how you look yourself in the mirror after that disappointment … you remember who you are and the power in you.
But it’s also how you handle winning. It’s how you show up after a big breakthrough. It’s how you see yourself in the mirror after your greatest success. You are more than a conqueror through Jesus, and Jesus alone. Girl, that wasn’t all you. The good you did is because of the good God put in you. The win was first made possible by God. He did the biggest part, honey, you just showed up believing it. Good for you for showing up because not everyone would. But keep yourself in the rightful position here.
Oh the balance of humility and confidence. Knowing who to praise for the win and who not to hate because of the loss. When it’s good, God gets the praise, not you. When it’s bad, Jesus took the shame, so you wouldn’t have to.
The problem is, we let our circumstances get in our head. When it’s good, it’s because we’re good. When it’s bad, it’s because we’re bad. Girl, you take this all so personal. But it’s hard not to, because after all, this is your life. It feels personal. Those problems feel personal. Those successes feel personal too. But when it changes what you believe about yourself, then it becomes a problem.
Charles Swindoll said, “Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you respond to it.” I’ve spent the past 15 years of my life doing the math and keeping my thoughts right. I’m telling you, it makes all the difference when you do the math right.
Your response to the things that happen in life originate in this place of what you believe about you. If you believe you’re a loser, then you respond to the things that happen to you with disappointment, anger, disgust, and self-hate. If you believe you are a self-made success, then you respond to the things that happen to you with pride, arrogance and entitlement.
However, if you believe you’re a beloved daughter of a mighty God who is forever watched by his eye, held by his hand, and guided to his good plans, then you respond to the thing that happen to you with faith and trust.
If you want to change one thing this year, work on changing what you believe about yourself. Changing what you believe about yourself won’t change your entire life, because 10% is still just going to happen no matter what, but it changes the 90%. How you respond to the things that are happening to you, both good and bad, is the major factor in how your life works out. You respond according to what you believe about yourself and this life you’re living.
Psalm 23 is the perfect example of the 10% and the 90%.
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
David, the little shepherd boy who killed the giant Goliath, and later became a great King, is the author of this scripture. Circumstances did not get in his head. His situation never changed what he believed about himself.
He knew he was the least of all his brothers. The youngest, the smallest, the untrained one, the unequipped one. Yet, when he showed up to the battle field and saw his people terrified of the enemy’s giant, he wasn’t overwhelmed. He took action. He grabbed his 5 smooth stone from the river, he put one stone in his slingshot, and he took aim at the giant’s forehead, and he took the enemy down.
What happened before David took this mighty and brave action? David was thinking mighty and brave thoughts. What was the source of David’s mighty and brave thoughts? He knew the power of God working within him! He knew what he carried around inside of him was greater than the enemy he faced on the outside. This enemy, the giant Goliath, was only 10% of that day. 90% was how David responded to him.
I assure you, the same is true for every giant you face today. Every attack of the enemy sent from the pits of hell to discourage you, that’s just 10%. It’s a tiny percentage of how this day has to go. 90% is up to you. How you respond to it. How you respond comes from within. It’s what you believe about you.
Do you believe you are a beloved daughter of a mighty God who is forever watching you with his eye, holding you in his hand, and guiding you to ridiculously good plans? If you truly believe that, then you respond to the circumstances of this day with faith and trust. What’s happening is 10%. How you’re responding is 90%.
Looking at the 23rd Psalm again, look at how David is outlining the value of his identity, versus the impact of his circumstances.
Here’s the 10%: I’m walking through the darkest valley in the presence of my enemies.
Yes, that’s his reality. That’s where he is and what he is facing. And it sucks. Dark valleys suck. Enemies suck. But, here’s what God showed me today that I’ve never seen in the most popular, well known and quoted book in the entire Bible. 10% and 90%.
David spoke a total of 109 words in this scripture. 11 of those word were on his circumstances. Count them: “Though I walk through the darkest valley.” “Presence of my enemies.” 11 words out of the 109. Do the math. That is precisely 10%!
What’s the 90%? It’s God’s truth in David’s life. It’s what he believes. What he trusts. Where he places his faith. It is his response to what is happening.
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
David isn’t clueless of his circumstances, but he doesn’t let his circumstances get in his head. He keeps what is happening to him in it’s rightful place. 10%. Yes, an itty bitty 10%. I’m in this dark butt valley and my enemies around surrounding me. But, oh my goodness, look at these green pastures and quiet waters where God is refreshing me. Look how he is guiding me. Look how he is comforting me. Look how he is providing for me in supernatural ways. God is anointing me here. His love and his goodness are literally following me!
Do the math. Check your words. Check your thoughts. 10% goes to circumstances. 90% goes to your intentional response with a focus on God’s truth about you and your life.
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