November 12, 2010
The Bigger the Battle, the Bigger the Blessing
Pam Farrel
From time-to-time, the Friday devotions will be written by one of our friends in ministry. We call them our "Friday Friends." So grab your Bible and a fresh cup of coffee and drink in the words from our "Friday Friend," Pam Farrel.
Today's Truth
James 1:12 (NLT) "God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."
Friend to Friend
I [Pam] had one baby and a toddler and was four months pregnant, dressed in a white suit as I carefully stepped out of my house to head to Bible study. A heavy rainstorm had hit the night before, and there was a film of red clay mud all down the front stairs.
With a toddler, diaper bag, and Bible-study bag in tow, I gingerly stepped onto the first stair, holding on to the handrail. Then, I gingerly took step two, only to fall flat on my back, desperately clinging to my baby to keep him from hitting his head. Sliding down the rest of the stairs, I finally plopped in a puddle on the bottom landing.
Shaken, I stood up and checked on baby Brock, who was smiling from the adventurous ride and seemed completely unharmed. Once relief set in that he had survived the fall, I burst into tears. Fear gripped my heart. Lord, what about this baby inside me? A fall like this can cause a miscarriage. Please protect this little one!
I took inventory of my belongings, spilled across the lawn and the stairs. I would have to take a wet rag to most of the things, but they all seemed intact. Then I looked at myself in the reflection of our bay window. I was one big mud pie, head to toe. I checked my watch. If I took the time to clean up, I would definitely be late to Bible study. Then a thought came: Maybe I should just stay home.
Remembering Ephesians 6:11-13 about life being a spiritual battle, I loudly proclaimed, "Satan, get out of here! If you think a little mud or a tumble is going to keep me from God's Word, you are messing with the wrong woman. I take my stand in Jesus and through His shed blood, I claim the victory. If you're working this hard to discourage me, Satan, then something really great is on the other side, if I persevere. The bigger the battle - the bigger the blessing on the other side!"
With that, I got up, went inside to change clothes, and then drove to Bible study, where I did receive more encouragement to win the battles of life I was dealing with at that time.
I'm glad I learned that lesson long ago, because during the writing of my LOL with God devotional, I think nearly everything I own broke: my car, my computer (it crashed twice), the icemaker, the washing machine, the printers in our office—and more importantly, the hearts of two of my three sons. This mom was carrying their pain on her heart, but I knew I'd receive a blessing, and others would too, if I pressed on through the battle.
Press on! Blessings ahead!
Let's Pray
Lord, help me not to give in to the battle weariness I feel. Keep my eyes off the attack and on You, the One who gives victory and blessing. Let me press through the battle until we get to the blessing, together, You and me, God!
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Now it's Your Turn
Ephesians 6:11-13 tells us to "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. . . . so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground . . ."
Some steps to help you stand your ground might include:
Go to bed with your iPod playing the Bible or songs of praise so you wake up confident and full of hope.
Speak verses of courage and confidence out loud (a good place to begin is the Psalms).
Place Scriptures and positive affirmations around your mirror where you put on your make up each day.
Take a prayer walk with a friend (this is a 3 for one deal: You will get closer to God, closer to your friend—and thinner!)
Which step could you do right now, or in the next hour, to help you stand firm?
More from the Girlfriends
When my boys were small, I used to read them the children's picture book, Harry and the Terrible Whatzit. In it, Harry, the small boy was frightened by what he thought was a scary monster, so he took a broom and whacked the imaginary thing until it became a tiny little creature who eventually became his friend. I picture God's Word as my "broom" and when I whack away on that fear with the Word of God, the fear grows smaller and smaller and my view of God grows larger and larger. As I wrote LOL with God, I pictured women worldwide picking up their "brooms" (their Bibles) and whacking down their fears. So girlfriend, pick up your broom, that Bible of yours, and let God shrink then sweep away your fears and frustrations today!
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