Worriers or Warriors
If I asked you which one you were, you might be tempted to say a little of both, but I have news for you. You were never created to be a worrier. Worry is rooted in fear and fear is the enemy of your faith. So knowing that, which one do you want to be? If you realize that you are in a war (a spiritual one) that is real and deadly, which one do you need to be? OK. Now that we have that settled, let’s move on.
Much of our worry comes from our feelings. Here is the thing about feelings. They are like the sails of a ship. They change which ever way the wind blows. What we need is the Holy Spirit to be our compass and our faith to be our rudder. We can’t ignore our feelings, but if we allow them to rule us we will be headed for rough waters and possible disaster.
Sometimes well meaning friends and family give us advice about what we need to do with our relationships or our career. The problem comes in when they give advice that is not Biblical. Many a relationship and career have gone sideways because of bad advice. When you don’t know what to do, press through! Don’t quit, commit! If God brought you to it, He will see you through it (if you allow Him to). If God is in it, you will win it! That is a lot to think about and easier said than done…I know.
You might be saying, “Daniel, you don’t know my circumstances.” That would be true. I have no idea what you are facing, but I do know that God has a plan for each of us, and we need to allow Him to be in charge. We need to be asking Him for direction and seeking His help in facing our fears and concerns..
In the movie, Jerry McGuire, there was a famous line which said, “You complete me.” It sounded so romantic and indeed it was, but it is not Biblical. People don’t really complete us, God does. We can’t expect an imperfect person to complete us. They can never meet all of our needs, no matter how wonderful they are. We are all works in progress, and God is the one who puts us together. When we allow God to be God and direct us, wonderful things happen. When we are Christ centered, we have the peace that passes understanding. Here is something to keep in mind: you will never have peace outside of your purpose. If you don’t remember anything else, remember that. God has a purpose for your relationships and for your career. It is up to you to find out what that is (with the help of the Holy Spirit). Matthew 19:6 says, “What God has joined together, let NO MAN put asunder.” You will have peace if you walk in your purpose and don’t get distracted or discouraged.
Don’t twist this to mean that you should stay in a dysfunctional or abusive relationship or job. I am not talking about that and would never advise you to do that, but…God always completes what He starts. He is faithful and will help you find the truth and the way. You just need to have the faith the size of mustard seed and you can move mountains (Matthew 17:20).
So, put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-18) and get ready for war. If you are in it to win it, you have to be prepared. Expect the unexpected. The enemy of your soul will throw every possible obstacle in your way to trip you up. After all, he has come to steal, kill, and destroy. He may even use people close to you to derail you. Don’t let what God ordained be twisted, perverted, stolen, or destroyed. Be careful who you tell your dreams and fears to. If their advice is not leading you back to the Bible for guidance, you might be making the biggest mistake of your life and live to regret it. Learn to let go and let God.
Shalom!
Daniel Skognes
Tags: #WorriersOrWarriors