Living a good life which includes closeness with God, loving others and doing well personally is often a battle. God says that we will have a fight on our hands when we pursue a good life. (Timothy 1:18; Ephesians 6:10-12)
Though no battle is pleasant, the hidden battles we face are particularly hard. These are the battles we face primarily alone (Proverbs 14:10). In our hidden battles, others near us might know something of our situation, but there is much about our battle they don’t know or understand.
I recently met with a young father who’s wife left him and his children. He is facing a depth of sorrow and uncertainty that others, including those who love him, don’t fully understand. These biblical choices can help us in our hidden battles.
Healthy Relationships. It has been said, we can’t choose our family but we can choose our friends. That choice will result in our being helped or hindered. God can use relationships to provide comfort, encouragement and strength (II Corinthians 7:5-7). Conversely, relationships that aren’t His choice can be draining and destructive. A good friend to have, is someone who is content and real.
If a person is real, they are honest people who have the courage to deal with life as it really is, instead of viewing life as they want it to be (Proverbs 27:9; 28:23). A content person is safe to be close to because they will not use the friendship to meet selfish needs. Contentment is also a reflection that they have a closeness with God, and a person who is close to God is someone who is safe and strong. (Philippians 4:11,12; I Timothy 6:6)
Healthy Habits. It’s reasonable to want relief from being in a battle and have a break from what’s hard and heavy. The choices we make to get some relief can be the difference in being distracted or being refreshed. If my habits for relief conflict with my personal or biblical values, then my habits will not be restorative and healthy. These activities will even drain my eagerness to continue in the battle. However, activities which are healthy will usually help bring a refreshment and a renewed determination to press on.
Healthy Perspectives. The successful soldiers are usually those who have a purpose or a person they’re fighting for. My dad, who served in World War II, was a young man who left his family business and was transported to fight in a foreign land. Like many other veterans, he fought and conducted himself in a noble way because of his young wife and the country he loved.
When we are in the middle of our battles it is very helpful to keep a healthy biblical perspective. When we focus on the Lord and remember how important we are to Him, we will be able to persevere and fight the good fight.
Thank you for your friendship and support which are so important in our being able to help many fight the good fight. You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.
Blessings,
Larry
Prayer Requests:
– For children of broken families who need security and comfort.
– For stubborn people to believe it’s best to give up tight control and trust God with their lives.
– For personal, emotional and physical strength for us.
– For sufficient financial support for the ministry.