A Life in Exile

What’s required for a positive entrance into this world? A good scream! How many times does that sound tell everyone that a baby has been born and is in good health? Without the scream, survival requires either intervention or a casket. That should tell us something.

This life is a fight for survival.

That initial scream forces the baby to use his God-given lungs to survive. It’s like jump-starting a car. Once the initial voltage is applied and the first scream released, the car and baby can move forward in their own power.

The reality is, however, that the struggle continues. Oswald Chambers wrote:

“Life without war is impossible either in nature or in grace.”

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

Though we in the modern world don’t feel it as intensely, we must fight to live. Whether it’s working to earn money to eat, finding a place to live, or making sure we and our kids have clothes and shoes to wear, there is always something needed. No wonder Jesus taught us to pray for our daily bread—he knew it was going to be a struggle to get it.

All this takes energy. There are other good things we must strive for as well.

• We fight for good health.
• We fight for mental health.
• We fight for moral virtue.
• We fight for spiritual health.

In the perfect world, these don’t seem that difficult, but in a world that is increasingly dark and even antagonistic toward those who follow Christ, it is a constant uphill battle. We’re fighting, not just what we can see, but against the unseen forces of this world, as Paul tells us in his letter to the believers in Ephesus (Ephesians 6:12).

Choose your battles.

When it comes to this constant earthly struggle, there are two things to take into account. First, we can’t survive in a constant fight mode. Just as a baby is worn out if he continues that first scream non-stop, we can’t stay in the energy-sucking fight on a 24/7 basis. During his three years of highly intense ministry focus, Jesus took time off for rest and relaxation. He knew when to fight and when to rest.

Jesus also knew what was worth his efforts and when he should just walk away or close his mouth. No, we’re not the Son of God, but we do have his Spirit in us to help us know what fights are worthy of our energies and which ones are for someone else or for another time. We must choose our battles and focus on those that either directly affect our spiritual health or have Kingdom implications.

Satan loves to distract us with things that are frivolous and just good at draining us physically or emotionally. Realizing that we don’t have to stand up against everything is important. Also, the battles I need to fight may be different from what my sister in Christ has to face. I need to address those that God confirms are mine to fight.

The second reminder about battles is that we are not in them alone. Not only do we have the armor of God, but we have the Body of Christ to help us. When we look to others for prayer support or guidance on how to plan our defense, we grow stronger and our energy isn’t totally drained. Even before they were fully ready, Jesus sent the disciples out, two-by-two, to prepare the ground for his coming. Then he sent out seventy-two of the even wider group of learners to do the same. I’m sure Satan was surprised at the boldness of these followers, thinking he was up against just Jesus, but now he had to deal with a real infiltration of what he saw as his territory.

Perseverance is the key.

The concept of struggle and perseverance is found throughout Scripture. The world we enter with a scream remains a place of difficulty, and this is a reminder that it was not meant to be like this. God had something so much better for us, but sin messed all that up. Still, there is a day when he will restore what was lost and our struggle will end—in the meantime, we persevere.

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

Hebrews 10:36-39 CSB

While we wait, we endure and rest in hope.

And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 5:3-8

Paul, as his life neared its end, knew the cost of the fight but also the reward.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.

2 Timothy 4:7-8

Even though we struggle in this fallen world, we can know peace. None of this should be new to us, and we should remember we may have to fight to keep the faith, but we believe in the One who has already won the greatest battle—that of our soul.

I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.

John 16:33

May his words lead us to fight with renewed confidence and strength.

Grace and Peace

If you missed the last Wednesday Wisdom, click HERE, or check out these other posts on struggles and perseverance: Living for Righteousness, He Sees What We Don’t: A Lesson in Trust, Consider How, We All Need a Little Exhorting.