The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.
Exodus 14:14
Those days, like the one I had on Friday, where you feel as though everything is against you, it can be almost impossible to relax. When people let you down or you feel you've let others down, when you hurt someone or someone hurts you, when the everyday tasks pose problems, when the small things get to you that little bit more than they should, when things don't go your way, when prayers appear unanswered... I'm having another of those days today. Constant battles of self-doubt, fighting the enemy's lies, pushing through worry, feeling restless in my soul. I don't like feeling this way, but I like that it always sends me running to the arms of my Father.
There was a point today where I almost gave up; I was ready to go home, fall into bed and just bury my head under the duvet to hide away from everything. But then I remembered this verse in Exodus; The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. So instead of running away from the trials of today, I let go of them, safe in the knowledge that God was fighting my battle for me - I didn't need to do anything but be still. So I did exactly that; I stopped working through my list of things to do today, and just sat still. This post is being written while I sit and let Him fight for me. In my resting, I took the time to look up what the Bible has to say on days like today;
We can rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. - Romans 5:3-4
When we run into problems and trials, we can rejoice! It sounds kind of twisted - the opposite of what we should be doing - but it's so true! Our trials and problems help us to produce endurance; help us to lean on God; help us to gain strength; prepare us for what's ahead of us; produce character. And that character helps us to help others in their struggles; helps us to grow resilience; grows our trust and hope in God; produces hope. And that hope is what gets us through any problem that we face; hope and knowledge that God will end our suffering; trust that He has it all under control; excitement for the future. And speaking of future...
She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. - Proverbs 31:25
This Proverb describes the characteristics of a woman or, more specifically, a wife. This wife is a metaphor for the Church - the bride of Christ. The passage gives us an example of what the characteristics of the Church should be. Clothed with strength and dignity. Meaning no running away and hiding under the covers; rather, holding strong to what we believe in and standing firm when the enemy attacks. When we run into problems and trials, we should put on that robe of strength, walk dignified in the knowledge that our battles are being fought for us. And laugh without fear of the future. He's got this. There's no task too big, no problem too difficult. Our future is safe and assured in Him.
And when we feel as though we aren't doing well enough, that surely God isn't interested in fighting for us when we're falling so short in our actions, remember this;
People are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. - Romans 4:5
He loves us because of who He is, not because of anything we have or haven't done. He's for you. On those days when you can't take anymore, when you feel so lonely and abandoned, remember that He is for you and He loves you and He is backing your corner. At a time when all indactors are suggesting otherwise, God is looking you squarely in the eyes and saying, "You're going to make it!"
You are loved more than you will ever know, by someone who died to know you. And He will fight for you, you need only to be still.