No battle we face has the power to overcome us. We may be knocked down, but we can get back up and start afresh: God is the God of second (and third and fourth) chances. We may feel oppressed and weak and unable to win through to victory, but we hold on to God’s Word: ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ (2 Cor 12:9) We may feel hopeless, but we are reminded that when all is said and done, faith, hope and love will remain. (1 Cor 13:9)
Paul’s life was one of many battles, but he was not deterred by these: ‘We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.’ (2 Cor 4:8-9) He knew that life wasn’t always easy. He said that at times he and the apostles ‘were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself.’ (2 Cor 1:8) But he also knew that in those times, he learned to lean on God: ‘this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.’ (2 Cor 1:9) He found blessings even in battles, lessons that he was then eager to pass on to us: ‘He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.’ (2 Cor 1:10-11) God’s deliverance in the past gives us hope for deliverance in the present and in the future: He will deliver us again; He will continue to deliver us.
Matt Redman’s song ‘It Is Well’ reminds us:
‘Weeping may come
Remain for a night,
But joy will paint the morning sky.
You’re there in the fast;
You’re there in the feast.
Your faithfulness will always shine.’ (‘It Is Well’, Matt Redman & Jonas Myrin)
No matter what the battle, God is there with us, in the thick of it. His faithfulness doesn’t change; every morning, His mercies are new to us (Lam 3:23). The compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness (Ex 34:6), is with us, so we need not fear. Our part is to trust His name and trust His ways, even when we can’t see where we’re going and don’t understand what is happening. Our part is to lift up our eyes and see the King of Glory, seated on the throne, strong and mighty, mighty in battle, ready to fight for us (see Ps 24:7-10, Ex 14:14).
