There are no shortage of battles we face in life. However, the Bible teaches us that even though we will face hard times and struggles, we needn’t fret, or worry, for the ultimate battle has already been won by Christ. Therefore, could it be that each battle we face is allowed by a holy God and good Father to ultimately benefit us as His children?

Attacks: When we get attacked, these are the unprovoked assaults that come our way – either physical, emotional, or spiritual. At times, these attacks can cause us to question and even doubt God’s goodness. However, as we know, we live in a fallen world and bad things happen. The hope we have is that if God allows these things, He can also use and turn them for the good of His children (1 Peter 1:6-7). Clearly, this is easy to say, but in reality, how can some of these attacks ever be used good? This is when we look to the cross and consider how the brutality, injustice, and cruelty Christ endured on earth. For if God can turn these events into the greatest good ever known, God can use our attacks as well. 

Attitudes: Some of the greatest battles we ever fight come from within. Our attitudes have a tremendous impact on how we engage the world and live our lives (Proverbs 17:22).  When we trust God and believe He loves us and has plans and purposes for us, we are naturally more optimistic and positive, despite our circumstances and challenges. However, when we allow ourselves to embrace discontentment, discouragement and discord, we naturally succumb to life’s struggles as merely added burdens without any hope, or benefit.   

Adversaries: Jesus was the only perfect person to ever live and even He had opposition. So, it stands to reason, each of us will have our fair share of adversaries too. However, how we engage these conflicts greatly determines our outcome. We are instructed to pursue peace as best we can, to pray for our enemies, and to not worry, but cast all our cares upon God and seek His guidance and direction (Psalm 55:22). We may not enjoy the conflicts we find ourselves in, but maintaining discernment and wisdom during these stressful situations is paramount. For in the end, our faith is strengthened as we rediscover just how reliable and trustworthy God is.

Application: “Blurred Lines” – Mark 8:24-25
During this life, we can’t see the full picture. Instead, our vision is clouded. However, the more we walk with Christ, the clearer our vision becomes. Just like when we get our eyes checked, we are asked to read numbers on a wall and look through a machine that makes them cloudy and clear. As we walk with Christ, He sharpens our vision and we are able to see the attacks, our adversaries, and our attitudes through His perspective and become stronger spiritual warriors in the process.