Grace for the Fighters

By Haley Waters

YOU, who are fighting.
YOU, who are weary.
YOU, who are being tested...there is grace for you.

YOU, who are carrying the burdens of another.
YOU, who are making important life decisions.
YOU, who are straining to hear God's voice...there is grace for you.

Often we think of grace as something that follows mistakes, something that comes alongside failure to dig us out and dust us off. God's grace is a mystery that none of us can fathom, but it is a free gift to all who believe and accept it. His grace comes in many forms, and today I want to tell you: there is grace for the fighters.

Jeremiah 31:2 "This is what the Lord says: The people who survive the sword will find favor in the wilderness; I will come to give rest to Israel."

In grace, you find rest. 

YOU, who are fighting.
YOU, who are weary.
YOU, who are tested...there is rest for you.

YOU, who carry others' burdens.
YOU, who have counted the cost.
YOU, who are following Christ...there is rest for you.

Although you may feel like you're in the wilderness, there is grace and rest for you there. Although you may feel like the uphill climb is long, there is grace and rest for you there.

For whatever you're facing, whatever season of life you are walking in, you need to know two things:

1. You are NOT alone.

We have the ultimate Help in times of trouble. God promises to walk with us through EVERYTHING. Even when you feel the furthest from Him, know that He is there, longing to comfort you and strengthen you. And know that a tough season does not mean God is far from you or that He has forgotten you. 

Psalm 18:33 says "He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to stand on the heights." 

Even in times of trouble, of suffering, of great responsibility, God allows us to make progress and gives us the power to continue through all of it. 

2. You are NOT called to an easy life.

I know that's a tough blow; it was for me too. I thought Christianity was supposed to be like Candy-Land: getting stuck in a pit of cotton candy and living in a house made of gum-drops. (Ok, maybe not that extreme but you get the mental picture) And while accepting Christ and choosing to follow Him does release you from the bondage of sin and allows you to live a life far greater than one without Christ, it does not guarantee a life without problems or trials.

And we know this because the Word tells us we don't fight against flesh and blood! Our fight is against "the rulers, the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12)

It's more like the game of Sorry: your goal is the finish line, but sometimes you get knocked out of your current position and it's your job to get back on the right path toward the finish line.

What Sorry is missing, however, is Someone who is in charge of the whole game and who knows the outcome. Lucky for us, God does. He sees you and He knows you. 

Genesis 16:13

He sees you fighting and He offers you grace.

He sees you weary and He offers you rest.

So take Him up on His offer. If you're in a season of fighting, He is there. If you're in a season of resting, He is there. And know that as long as you are keeping your game piece on the track toward the finish line (eternal life), and are being obedient to his rules (found in His Manual--The Bible, duh), you are exactly where you need to be.

Fight on Fighters. *insert fist bump/karate kick here*