Ever feel like your in a game of Uncle? The stress, the anger, the circumstances surrounding you has you pinned down so tight you can't move. You can feel the air leaving your lungs. You are sweating. Your face is red in anger. Your mind begins to play tricks on you. You want to fight, but it's already been a long battle. Maybe it's just time to say Uncle. Uncle indeed.
Satan loves to hold those two words over our head. He wants to see us suffer. He wants to see pain hit us. He wants us to see us at the end of our rope. At the very edge of the cliff. Why is it we give up so easy? We don't want to struggle. We sure don't want to experience pain. We hate feeling alone. Is it that we have become accustomed to having things easy?
I know I have felt like giving in lately. I have wanted to say Uncle in hopes that the burdens would be lifted and I could breathe again. We see such struggle of all kinds around us. We see people hurting. You can see it so vividly on their faces as they are in line to purchase groceries and they are counting pennies to make sure they have enough. Might they have to put back that gallon of milk their children needs so badly? Might the husband have to say good bye to his wife of only six months to an illness that didn't know what Uncle meant? Will the little girl have to pack her few belongings to travel to another home? Maybe this one no one will hit her. If we look close enough we see the elderly man leaving his medications behind so he can eat a bowl of soup. These times we have are hard. If they have not hit you, then I am sure you know someone who has been touched with struggle.
It's like your in that boxing cage and your opponent is coming at you with a fierce look you have never seen before and are not prepared to fight back. You go to the ground. Hard. You try. You try with all your might, but he is too strong. The fight ends. You are battered and bruised, but you know what? You come out walking. You still have life in you. You still have breath to go another battle. Each battle makes you stronger. Each battle you learn more and more about how to stay in and fight the distance. Sometimes it might be just one round at a time your thinking of.
Oh, how I have wanted to say Uncle. I am tired of the fight. I am not sure how much more fight I have in me. But I am learning, I have enough for right now. The Lord will take care of those next minutes. There is no battle bigger than my God. There is none stronger. There is none mightier than He. Might I stop looking at the battle and concentrate on the One giving me the strength I need. I can find endurance through Him. I can crawl in His lap as He heals my battle scars. Some of the scars might be deep. Some might still sting to the touch, but God, our Lord Jesus Christ has the balm to heal. He has the words to comfort.
Instead of me saying Uncle and giving satisfaction to Satan. I am saying, "Ready, set, go!" I am not giving up! I am not saying Uncle! I am in for the fight. All twelve rounds. All nine innings. All four quarters. I might get knocked down. I might get banged up pretty good, but this girl is a fighter. In my weakness God is strong. In my fear, He is mighty. I have Jesus Christ on my side! With Him I can face anything.
I don't know where you are today my friend, but I too feel your pain. I feel your fear. I feel the unknown circling. The skies are cloudy and the rain is beginning to pour, but there will come a day where it is bright. Where the rain will not soak us any longer. The pain will leave and the fear? Well, there will no more fear. No tears. Only glory. We can make my friends. We can stand today, in this moment knowing Jesus Christ is at our side. The Holy Spirit is leading us, filling us and surrounding us. We cannot go wrong with Him leading the way.
Don't let our circumstances direct our thoughts. Turn to God's word. Fall to your knees. Lift others up. Lay your burdens at His feet. He is our Strong Tower. He is our Refuge. In my fears today, I give them over to the Lord. Those battles I have been fighting? They are His to battle. I am to allow Him to wash peace and comfort over me. I am to be content in all things knowing Christ is at work.
Jesus on cross. Paul with his thorn. Peter in jail. Noah on the Ark. Job in his loss. None of them gave up! They kept their faith and they prevailed in the belief that God would see them through. If the battle is too tough today, just give it all to Jesus. He will wrap you in a strength you didn't know existed. He will insert a peace in your heart that you cannot comprehend.
This road was not meant to be easy. This journey is leading us home. In this journey we learn what it is to simply have faith, hope and love. You don't have to say Uncle any longer. Simply say, "Yes, Lord, I am ready!"
Psalm 34:19-20 "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all."
Psalm 46:1-2 "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea."
Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"
Psalm 61:3-4 "For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings."
Isaiah 40:28:31 "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."
Philippians 4:13 " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
