A Meditation on Spiritual Warfare: The Battle is Real

Have you ever felt stymied by the gamut of experiences and emotions that can unfold within a relatively short period of time? And what if the feelings seem diametrically opposed to the hope you cling to at all costs? I was so filled with joy as I considered the thrill of walking—of even dancing the waves—with my Savior.

And then the waves became the kind that even surfers fear. The thing is, I knew the waves were coming in, but seeing them is another thing—especially when you know treading water is not going to get you through—the kind of waves that you knew you had to take on, despite the hidden dangers.

I realized that what I was facing was not just a physical battle, but a spiritual one. Between my hemoglobin and vitamin B12 deficiency, stress about work, and not wanting to think about an upcoming doctor’s appointment, I felt stretched between very real stressors and subtle thoughts that sought to undermine my hope.

It was in that mood that I wrote the following poem.

As I wrote, a few verses of scripture came to mind. I looked them up, and my soul embraced them as the life anchor they truly are.

When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong,
Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.    Psalm 37:24                

Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’   Isaiah 41:10

See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”  Luke 24:39

And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.     John 20:20

For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.      2 Peter 1:16

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life     1 John 1:1   

With those verses comforting my heart, I wrote the last stanzas of my poem.

In my case, the struggle has been related to the realization that I am facing yet more medical procedures. It seems like as one challenge ends, another begins. But such is the nature of waves of the sea and of life. But we dare not compare our struggles with one another. Each of us is different and what might trip me up could leave you scratching your head, “How did she trip over that?”

That I could even trip shouldn’t be a surprise. That is the bad news, which I particularly discuss in this post. The good news is that our God and Savior is there for all of us, and He is only a prayer away. But something we often forget is that we do not have to pray alone. There is a wonderful paradox in our battles: While it is true that each of us must walk through and carry our own struggles (Galatians 6:5), when we pray for each other, there is a “carrying of one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2) that truly strengthens and encourages the one for whom we are praying.

With that in mind, I hope the song below by Forever Be Sure encourages you. Remember, the spiritual battles we face throughout life are real, but the power of God’s Word and prayer are greater.