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The title of this piece alone should fill us with confidence, loyalty and praise to an Almighty Father who is always in the battle regardless of what it is. But does it? Does it fill us with confidence? Do we really give up our daily struggles to an Almighty God who is above everything in this world and everything that Satan can attack us with?
I pose these questions because they are serious questions for myself and I would imagine that they are for many of us. Too often, we want to look at the battle from a worldly perspective, from an earthly point of view. Instead of giving it to God and placing it at the foot of the cross we attempt to put our own spin on it, trying to use the world’s methods to overcome and advance. We can’t just seem to take in full humility that when Jesus says that we should “take heart” because he has overcome the world that that isn’t just a statement that should placate our hearts for a time. That is a statement that should resonate with our souls and lead us to ultimate praise, honor, glory and reverence. It should become so much a practice of laying our lives at the foot of the cross that the path is well-worn and easily identifiable.
Too often, we attempt to take the easy way out, a quick solution that the world may offer or even a solution that has a partial Christian truth to it but is misinterpreted by many. We often think that with God in the picture and partially doing what he wants, success must be the only outcome. Instead, we are often left dejected, hurt, and our souls are downcast as we attempt to reconcile why a perceived idea of God fell so flat on its face.
How do we really put the idea of “the battle belonging to the Lord” into practice, not just part way but in complete submission to our Heavenly Father? It starts by understanding and declaring that we have no hold or understanding of our earthly problems and situations except for by the grace of God. Yes, situations may happen to a variety of people, but there is still an element that we have to understand about ourselves in a situation. Why is this happening to us? What is God teaching us? These answers may not be readily identifiable but they are part of the journey that we can take in understanding who we are and who God is.
Once we fully submit the situation into the hands of God, we wait. This may be the toughest part for some of us (I know that it is for me). God knew what this situation involved even before came into our lives so furthermore he can know how to best handle it. Sometimes he does so by using us and we have to wait for his leading and guidance in regards to how best we can be a part of that process. Sometimes he leaves us out of the work using other people around us and perhaps strangers that we don’t even know to accomplish his purposes. Sometimes nothing happens and we have to wait until God is ready to move and his plan is ready to be fulfilled.
So, the next time a situation comes into your life no matter its size or scope, I encourage you to ask yourself the following question: does the battle really belongs to the Lord? If you can answer that question with a no then you may be headed down a road of struggle and disappointment. However, if you can answer the question with a faith filled and full hearted yes, then you can sit back in the loving arms of the Father knowing that he will work all things for your benefit and will call you forward when it is his time not yours. We are never the general in these battles. Instead, we are called to be willing and faithful soldiers to the cause and work of Christ.
The Wheeled Worshiper