The fight that's worth it.

“For my birthday I got a humidifier and a de-humidifier...
I put them in the same room and let them fight it out.”

-Steven Wright

Last week, after school I was presented with a ticket to a very special hockey game that was about to commence in the Upstairs Loft, Row 1, Seat 1, in short order. The ticket was from my seven year old son, Isaac. He also made a separate ticket for Eden, and one for Roxy, the dog.

While he was waiting for us to “arrive” at the game (I needed time to make tea), the players practised on the “ice.” When we arrived, I realized that there was no one to sing the National Anthems (gasp), so I grabbed a nearby drumstick and stole the honour for myself.  Isaac waited patiently for the ridiculous part of the show to end, feigning interest. After I was done or mostly done (no...I don’t know all the words to the "Star Spankled Manner"), I took my spot in the seating area.


ã 2011 Isaac Bedwell, All Rights Reserved
As you can see from the ticket, the Montreal Canadiens were playing the Bruins. Or something like that. It gets complicated from there because there is only one player and he has 10 different names, and 6 different positions. At any point there could be a handful of players in the penalty box and no one ever knows where the referee really went.  I do try to pay attention.

But my biggest challenge is trying to figure out which team to cheer for because I can’t tell whose side my Isaac is actually on.

Isaac is a “fighter.” You see, he can be on anyone’s team at any time, and because he transfers his enthusiastic play-by-play to favour whomever is winning at the time, it is difficult to focus. On one hand, I suppose it makes for good entertainment because you never know who is going to win, but personally, I find that I really enjoy the intermission: This is the part of the game where Roxy is allowed on the ice to play (I make circus music while she chases the ball).

I’m getting to my point. You almost have to see it to believe it. It happens when the offense goes in for the score. The most impressive part is the interaction between the offensive player and goalie. Isaac will actually stand in net and chip the puck backwards towards himself with his stick and dive to save it with his body. 

My point is that on that day, Isaac was fighting against himself.

Some days we are not much different. We beat ourselves up over things that we can not possibly control and were not responsible for.

You see, although Isaac is always scoring, he is also always being scored on.

And every day you fight for something.

Some fight themselves.
  Some fight those around them.
     Some fight to stay alive.
        Some fight to believe again.
          ...And some fight to live with JOY.

I get it. We all do. It’s part of being human. You were born to fight for something.

But sometimes in our "fight or flight" spontaneous reaction, we can fight the wrong thing.
...Sometimes we forget, and save our punches for people who are on the same team.

Today...save your energy for the battle that matters.

“My heart and kidneys are fighting each other; Call a truce to this civil war.”

-Psalm 25:17 (MSG)

The sooner you give up, the better...

What is a flaming arrow?

I'd have to say most of the time (for me) they are bad thoughts. 

Many times when we are sent flaming arrows from the enemy, we turn our backs to them, because they are shameful and hurt our pride.  It seems like a good enough protective stance, after all, if a bear were attacking, this is the position we would naturally fall into. 

However, because we are facing the wrong way, what the enemy says about us begins to seep in. We take on what he says as though it is truth. When you begin believing the lies, you will begin feeling these things: 
    tired,
          overwhelmed,
                         confused,
        guilt & shame,
and lack of time to do what you want to do.

Although it is human nature to think you are protecting yourself by turning your back to the flaming arrows, you are actually just suffering silently.  For a while, your shoulders seem to tolerate the burden. After all, the temptations are ugly, and they stink like garbage.  Nobody would want to know.  But because our backs are facing the wrong direction, the enemy keeps us silent. When we are silent, he has us isolated. Alone. Heavy. And suffering.

God allows it because you're shouldering your own burden, and you haven't realized you can't beat it on your own yet.

This is just a call to turn around!!  NOW!!!

I just want to encourage you to turn around and face the enemy. That way the glory of God can be your rear guard. Call out what you're feeling. Call out the crap. Tell the truth and admit what you've been thinking. Confront the lies and confess what you've been dealing with. Tell God how you feel. What you lack. How needy you are to push through, and how you can't get any better on your own.

When you do this, you are resisting the devil, and he has no choice but to flee.

Take a load off.

Give up.

Give in.