The Invisible Fight

Sometimes I wish I had a black stone for every word I said that was not up building and a white on for everything I've said that was encouraging, and see witch house would be erected first. Isn't it strange how we can break a heart, shatter trust, deeply hurt someone, or loose a friend and not see, hear, or perceive it in any physical way.

There are meager battles going on in each of us, everyday, and we simply cannot see how the other person is fighting with his burdens. Paul talks about fighting the good fight.

So what are we fighting?

I know my personal giant is in my head, and I must daily scramble to keep gracious, positive, forgiving and unselfish thoughts in my mind. Mustering up to keep pride, envy, criticism and worry from entering my heart. Romans 12 warns us not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed be the renewing of our minds.

Who am I fighting?

"Not with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers." So does this mean that I'm not to be at odds with a sister or brother but with the devil? The struggle is not against one I strive to love who is made of flesh, but against the evil one who would have discord and sews seeds, in the form of thoughts, to destroy unity.

Lies, Lies, Lies
I'm so sick of lies,
is that all the devil can do.
Spare me
Never do I ever want to hear another lie
There isn't one I haven't heard.

That's from Elisa Doolittle, I sing it when I'm fed up from listening to the enemy tell me how worthless I am.

Why should I fight?

I know there is a war between evil and good, and if I don't try fighting for the good, evil will overcome me. It's like a house, if no one keeps it up, it will be destroyed. The kingdom of heaven is in my heart, if I let The King rule in it, I will reap the blessings. Oh, but where is the new heart I was promised? Will I always have to fight? Out of the heart come all kinds of unclean things. I will just have to do battle till the Lord sees fit to change my heart. He's the one who hardened Pharaoh's heart and I'll leave it in His loving care

It is incredible how silently and subtly the battle is lost or won. How vast and invisible the work of the Lord. I read a passage in Sirach the other day that said we shouldn't look down one people because the Lord does wonderful things that human beings never notice. Wow!!