The fight
There’s a real reason we are here- more than fun and celebration or seeking enjoyment from life’s simple pleasures. These things are gifts, yes, but they aren’t “the point.”
If you’re a believer you are here to bridge the gap between God and the world. You on your own can’t save anyone, no, we don’t do any of that by our own power, but yet the Word of God calls us the hands and feet. Yet we are often so preoccupied with this world, myself included, that our own interests dictate us and we never even stop to participate in the lives of others. We may feel emotion or compassion, we may even say the random prayer for those outside our immediate circle, but what about an active role? In our prayer, business, family, consumerism (uh-oh that’s a tough one) are we fighting FOR the world?
What I don’t mean here is fighting against the world with our dissonance or disagreement, there are plenty of so-called activists who have set their sites on telling others how we disagree with them, possibly even tearing them down in the process, to achieve a “Christian” result. What I mean here is fighting FOR others, in the physical and spiritual realm. This is something that I realized recently in my marriage- and while it is of utmost importance here (that I fight FOR and not against my spouse) I see it as equally important in all my roles- mother, daughter, sister, friend, ultimately “just” as a follower of Christ I should be so full of love that fighting for people is my first instinct. The Word says to “pray without ceasing” and “love others as yourself.” Phrases that seem so simple but are WEIGHTY in the day to day. So, how can I apply this in my own life?
- praying daily for those around me- not just loved ones
- standing up for others beyond my comfort level
- stretching my mind to see the perspective of others
- asking God to soften my heart to struggles that may be real to others but seem “easy” to me
