So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For
what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18
I don’t know about you, but my real struggle is not about the pain, but rather about wanting to get over it. I want to make this whole season about me rather than this whole season about God. I want to turn my eyes on my feet rather than turning my eyes on Jesus.
How did I get here? Where did I veer off the path? Did I take a detour in the marathon? Did I get so distracted with all the bells and whistles going off that I took a misstep and never corrected it? Am I now comfortable with this way of life in a way that makes me cringe in wanting to leave it?
Things to ponder. Pray about. Confess. Repent. Ask.
For our struggle is not about flesh and blood, but against
the authorities, against the powers in this dark world and against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12
Last time I checked, my feet are made of flesh and blood. Frankly, that’s why they hurt so much. Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit tells us quite clearly that our struggle is not about our bodies. It’s not about disease, injuries, illness. It’s about something more sinister than we can imagine.
PERSPECTIVE
In recognizing the nature of our struggle, we need to put our struggle in perspective. It is NOT ABOUT ME. Our enemy wants us to think it is about our flesh and blood, because we then lose sight of the real battle. We dismiss that which we cannot see as unreal. We have spiritual blindness because we are wrapped up in a cloak of pain.
Don’t get me wrong. Pain is real. It is what keeps me up at night. After night, after night, after night. Am I so shortsighted that I am more concerned about ME, than I am about putting on my spiritual armor, praising God and praying for the saints? The minute I take my eyes off the real struggle, Satan has me exactly where he wants me. In a pity party. He has an open invitation to this soiree and has many invitees. It’s up to the invited to attend or not.
IT'S ABOUT JESUS
I find that I end up at this blasted party more often than I should. It’s like it has a revolving door, and I keep going round and round. Instead, I should burn the invitation and book my life completely full of Jesus so I do not have time to join the dump.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5
What is Christ’s attitude? Bringing glory to the Father. Jesus never lost sight that to honor and glorify His Father was the purpose of His being here on earth. By reading the above text, we too are to have His same attitude. He did not take His eyes off of His Father for one moment, therefore I, too, need not take my eyes off the Father.
And Jesus had struggles. Real ones. Painful ones. He was despised. Ridiculed. Questioned. Abandoned. Mocked. Beat. Disappointed. Crucified.
No one understands like Jesus. Knowing that, He promises to never leave us. Ever. I am grateful for this assurance that I do not have to go this alone. The struggles we face are enormous. But God is bigger. Our battles are real too, but they are not what we think they are. They are temporal. Seen. Tangible. And they WILL pass away. When it’s over, it’s over.
How do we get beyond the struggle? Here is the real question. Paul writes in Ephesians 6:13-18 that we need to put on and wear our spiritual armor. We have a helmet of salvation, breastplate of righteousness, belt of truth, feet fitted with the gospel of peace, a shield of faith and our sword of the Spirit. Once we have our proper clothing on, we are to stand. And pray. That’s all folks. We are not to fight the battle. Stand in the fray. We are to let God do it. We are to stand and pray.
The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. Exodus 14:14
This is it. The key that unlocks the struggle - be still.
Simple enough. Why do I make it so hard?
Because I make it about me when it is not. It’s not about flesh and blood. It’s in the unseen. Let it stay there as I stand my ground and watch God fight the battle.
‘Nuff said.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, as I come to You now, forgive me for making everything about me, when in reality it is about You. You are more than enough. You are amazing. My eyes are on You. My heart cries out, "You are good." Thank You for fighting the battles. AMEN
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