Strength, Weakness, and Wrestling

Often life feels like a wrestling match. A grind it out, clinging, pushing, flipping, never-letting-go battle that only ends in sleep and then begins the next day.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 ESV

Too often I believe my battle is against a person or the food I crave or my children. So I wrestle the wrong foe. I fight a child instead of working on the heart of the issue: perfectionism or laziness. Other times in my mind I battle someone who mistreated me. I waste time and energy focusing on someone who hurt me rather than dealing with spiritual issues surrounding the pain. And I get exhausted because I am fighting a thousand foes who gang up on me rather than wait patiently for God. I think I can win the battle on my own.

But God tells me a different story:

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Ephesians 6:11 ESV

When I attempt to fight spiritual battles in my own strength I am telling God I don’t need Him. That is pride. However God says if we fight His way, He has strength and armor to help us win the battle. When we admit we are weak and unable to fight this wrestling match appropriately, God equips us with His armor so we can fight our battles in His protection.

Perhaps it is time to stop wrestling the wrong foes and in our weakness stand strong in God’s armor.

Father God I admit I fail often. I either wrestle the wrong foe or do not believe you are there to help me. Forgive me for fighting the wrong foes in the wrong ways. Help us to stand strong in Your armor and fight the right battles that we may bring You glory and honor. In Jesus’ Name we pray. amen.