In the Thick of the Battle
“Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand…that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.” 1 Samuel 17:45-47 underlining added
So often I get so caught up with typing what the Holy Spirit is pouring onto my heart and teaching me even as I’m writing that I don’t remember what I’ve written even minutes after publishing it. Not to mention I have a limited attention span, poor focus, and a middle-aged, fatigued memory. So I wasn’t surprised when I received from a reader a comment attached to the little piece I had written about six lessons learned from David and Goliath and felt like I was seeing one of those lessons for the first time – with fresh eyes and a raw heart desperately needing to see what the Holy Spirit wanted to show me and to receive the conviction He would bring me. The lesson that stood out was about David fighting the battle to bring God glory so the world would see God. I had written so quickly at the time that I had missed how very potent this message actually is – not to mention how convicting. And conviction is exactly what I needed! Do you?
Little did I know shortly after writing the piece I would be engaged in yet another fiery spiritual battle. I had forgotten this lesson about having the right motive in battle to help the world to see God. The potent message is if you’re anything like me, you may find yourself so weighed down, uncomfortable, distressed, fearful, distraught, discombobulated, overwhelmed, self-pitying and complaining, that you make the battle all about yourself instead of God. What if instead we choose to repent of the sins in our hearts, thoughts, mouths, and actions, and consider how we might bring God glory not only with the hoped for victorious outcome but also right in the thick of the battle?! What if the world not only sees the Lord through our praise and thanksgiving if and God willing we win the battle, but also if we choose to be loving, humble, patient, dependent on and strong in God, hopeful, steadfast in our devotion to God, positive, thankful, peaceful, confident in, faithful and obedient to God, and giving to others EVEN IN THE BATTLE?
Writing this makes me smile. I have done everything but this in my latest battle. I desire nothing more than to repent and make this my aim as I persevere in this battle – and the ones to come. Will you join me in this?