We Shall Overcome

Not many Thursdays roll by without me driving 40 miles one way to visit my mother. Life is more challenging by the week at age 94. She prefers to sit rather than walk, but when I ask her to grab a pen to write something down, she maneuvers her walker to slowly make her way to a drawer. Even though her knee, hip, or shoulder may be stiff, she fulfills my request to overcome her pain and inconvenience with little or no complaint.

A few weeks ago, I was leaving the house to volunteer at a community event my church was hosting. I had been experiencing an out-of-the-ordinary pain in my knee for the past few days, but it lessened as the day wore on. However, a sharp pain shot through my knee as I walked toward the door, prompting me to cry out. I was supposed to check in at the registration point within minutes and report to my volunteer station. I hobbled down the stairs, got in my car, and made it through my half-hour commitment. Afterward, I came home in tears and promptly applied an ice pack. Somehow, I overcame my pain (which continued throughout the remainder of the week).

As mentioned in a previous blog, I adopted an attitude of restoration at the beginning of the year, deciding not to go on any mission trips in 2024 to focus on restoring my health. With a frozen shoulder and a heart ablation that created unexpected outcomes, I felt like it was the best thing to do. I went a step further to enroll in a heartier exercise program. Unfortunately, I over-exercised my knee, and therapy did little to improve my shoulder. I realized I was learning how to overcome rather than restore!  

Overcoming vs. Restoration

The difference between overcoming and restoration is the baseline issue. With restoration, the issue is resolved and is no longer present or at least not noticeable. An awareness of the issue still lingers but is no longer prominent when it has been overcome. In essence, one has risen above it or powered through it. Both overcoming and restoring require much work.

I am encouraged by individuals like my mom and friends with significant physical or mental health conditions. Even my precious elderly dog, O’Malley, inspires me as he trudges up and down the stairs, struggling with each step.

An image of overcoming turns my thoughts to the Civil Rights Movement and Martin Luther King Jr., who recited stirring words from the song “We Shall Overcome” during his final sermon in 1968. Four days later, the song was sung at his funeral. While the song has been used for different reasons, Luther used it as a protest song, transforming it into the movement’s unofficial anthem.

Biblical Overcomers

I began to wonder about overcomers in the Bible. Job was the first to pop into my head. How did he overcome such intense grief after losing all ten of his children? Not only that, but his wealth was gone, and his herds were decimated. His wife was not supportive either. Life was over. Except it wasn’t! His health was stripped from him, and his close friends showed up to comfort him but ended up accusing him of lying. Yet, Job overcame his adversities by hanging on to the hope he had in God. 

Naomi is another one. What hope did she have after losing her husband and both sons? A Moabite widow with no children and no one to provide for her. She was destitute. Yet, she and her daughter-in-law were overcomers. God provided a way as they pressed onward.

Gideon conquered the large camp of Midianites with 300 men blowing a ram’s horn and breaking a clay jar to expose a blazing torch. The Lord caused the panicked Midianites to fight against each other. Nehemiah went against all odds and rebuilt the burned-down wall of Jerusalem in just 52 days. He overcame scrutiny and plotting. David overcame death from a jealous king. Each of these men was an overcomer, with the favor of God upon them.

Look at all the things the Israelites overcame: slavery in Egypt, crossing the Red Sea to escape the warring Egyptians, victory after victory in battle, food in the desert, and clothes/sandals that didn’t wear out.  

What are you overcoming in your life right now? Do you have a physical ailment you are forced to respect, yet you have learned to operate within its limitations? Is fear holding you captive, but you press on anyway? Is there a challenging project that tests you beyond what you think you are capable?

 “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrow. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).