Cinderella Man

“In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:37 

A movie called Cinderella Man was released some time ago that told the true story of James Braddock, one of the greatest boxers of his era. He was known for his strength and determination, with twenty-one knockouts to his name. But in his first championship fight, he lost after a grueling fifteen rounds. During that match, he badly fractured his right hand in several places. From that moment, his career began to unravel. Of the next thirty-three fights, he managed to win only eleven.

As the Great Depression worsened, Braddock struggled to support his family. Eventually, he stepped away from the ring and took a job loading freight on the docks just to survive. He went from fame and glory to hardship and obscurity. Life can be like that. Sometimes we face seasons filled with loss, disappointment, or pain. There are moments when we do not choose the battle; rather, the battle chooses us. You may find yourself standing in the rubble of broken dreams or nursing the wounds of a failed relationship. Like Braddock, you may feel like everything is falling apart. He could not even afford food for his children, and at his lowest, he lost custody of them.

When life gets hard, it is easy to forget who you are. 

Your identity is not based on your failures, your past, or the opinions of others. It is based on what God says about you.

Scripture declares that you are more than a conqueror. (Romans 8:37) You are a child of the living God. You have been bought with the precious blood of Jesus. You are not just surviving. You are called to overcome.

James Braddock eventually returned to boxing, but this time, with a new perspective. First, he remembered who he was. Then, he realized what he was fighting for. After a stunning comeback victory, a journalist asked him, “What changed, Jimmy? You could not win a fight for love or money before. What made the difference?” Braddock’s response was simple and powerful: “Milk.” He was fighting to put milk on the table for his children. That is what gave him the strength to rise again- the love for his family and the resolve to provide for them. There are moments in life when we must fight, not with fists, but in prayer, in perseverance, and in faith. We fight for our families. We fight for our marriages, our children, and the generations to come. We battle through addiction, depression, fear, and doubt. And we do not fight alone. God is in your corner. He sees your struggle, and He fights with you.

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