Quotable: The victorious Christian life

"There is nothing wrong with affirming that a Christian can live victoriously in a fallen world-unless the understanding of victory is more secular than it is biblical. Unfortunately, this "victorious Christian life" is often presented as a Christianized version of the American dream. The victory granted us in the world, however, is not escape from pain and suffering, but strength to endure pain and suffering. The victorious Christian is not someone who has made a lot of money, found a "hot" spouse, and evaded disease and injury. The victorious Christian is one who is clinging so tightly to Christ as the highest treasure that he or she can be "content" in "whatever situation" (Philippians 4:11). We love to quote "I can do all things through him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13), but we easily forget that those words came from someone in a prison cell, and God had strengthened him to learn "the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need" (Philippians 4:12, emphasis added)."

From Faith Without Illusions: Following Jesus as a Cynic-Saint by Andrew Byers