On a literal level, I am NOT a runner. I desperately wish I were. I think that jogging is so cool. I see people do it, and they move so fluidly, so naturally, carried along by the strength of their bodies, and I so want to be that person! But from what people have told me and from what I've seen of my reflection in glass or shadows, I look nothing like that. My limbs don't seem to move together. I start wheezing, and by the end of it, I feel like puking. It's just not fun. Figuratively, however, I absolutely love running! Whether it be a bad hair day, an outbreak of acne, yet another time I've said something that made me look like an idiot, or maybe even just feeling like I don't belong for whatever reason, pretty much anything can make me want to run. Suddenly my prayers of "here I am, Lord, send me" become much more genuine! I'm suddenly struck with a godly passion for reaching the world... any part but this one... for the Lord. Or perhaps I'm just suddenly overcome with the wanderlust that has become so typical of our generation. Either way, I convince myself that it's time to move on. Move on to another group of friends, another church, another town, another nation, even. I don't care, just get me out of here!
Despite my natural tendency toward the 'flight' part of the natural fight or flight reaction to conflict, I've realized that I've not been taking on the Lord's perspective. Just as my physical body was apparently not designed for running, neither is my spirit. When I face a battle of any kind, I'm meant to be a warrior! Never a wimp. God was really speaking to me through Exodus 13:17-18. He deliberately steered the Israelites away from a battle that he knew would be bad for their morale. God never sets us up for failure. If we're facing a battle, we can be sure that God believes it to be a worthwhile experience and one that can bring us character! The only battles the Israelites ever lost were those that they took on without God's say-so and those that God used deliberately to humble the Israelites and bring them back to him. Go through the Bible and look up verses on overcoming and battles and you'll see verse after verse about how life is a battlefield but the victory is ours. Yeah, there will be battles. In fact, I'll be shocked if you tell me that you're not struggling with something right now. Fighting sin is a constant struggle! Fighting to walk in total obedience is tough, and that will never go away.
Fortunately for us, there's some great news that might just blow your mind. Peace and war are not polar opposites! They're not like black and white; they're like bread and butter, actually. They belong together. Like I said, war is inevitable this side of Heaven. You will struggle. You will have to sleep, eat, shower, and live all the times in between in your armor, because the battle will seek you out. However, God's peace can also be an always kind of thing. If peace in your life is only for after the battle is over, you are in serious trouble. Bear with me for a sec. The Bible shows us that God is (among other things) Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father, Mighty God, and Prince of Peace. Think about what that means! Wonderful Counselor-- God knows what we need. Mighty God-- God is able to give us what we need. Everlasting Father-- God wants to give us what we need. Prince of Peace-- God's best for us involves his peace.
Okay, so we've established that God knows that we need peace and is willing and able to give it to us. God's peace is a big deal biblically. 247 verses in the NIV deal with peace (check out http://biblegateway.com/). Read Isaiah 26:3, Isaiah 32:17, Isaiah 54:10, John 14:27, John 16:33, and Rom. 15:13. These verses as I understand them refer specifically to mental/spiritual peace rather than living at peace with those around you, which, btw, the Bible repeatedly commands. The gist of what they say (in case you don't have time to read them) is that God's peace is not a "sometimes food" for the soul. We can always live in God's peace, even as the battle is raging around us and even in us. In the words of Paul "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you." (2 Thess. 3:16)
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