Will God find you and me still standing when the battle is over?

September 18, 2013: Will God find you and me still standing when the battle is over? Please “Share” this link to a new Precious Prodigal Blog Post http://wp.me/p1D8dQ-cJ

Will God find you and me still standing when the battle is over?

 

Ephesians 6:13 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

As a young mother with six kids, all less than 12 years old, I remember sometimes saying, “Those kids are going to be the death of me!” While that was an exaggeration, they could certainly create enough mischief among themselves to keep me busy. Even on the less hectic days, I was really tired by the time dinner was over. On the crazier days, I remember sometimes wondering if I had the strength and energy to stand up and walk down the hall and go to bed.

That kind of tired is one thing. However, the kind of exhaustion we know when we love a prodigal is something else again. It goes beyond tired, it goes beyond weary, and it goes beyond exhaustion. You’ve probably had days when you didn’t think you could keep standing for one more minute, much less for some time in a future you are beginning to believe won’t come at all.

That’s the kind of “evil day” the Scripture is talking about…the kind that requires the whole armor of God. Why do we need it? So that when we are weary to the point of exhaustion from the things we’ve already faced, and when we have done all we could do, we’ll still be trying. We’ll still be praying. We’ll still be hoping. Having done all, we’ll still be standing.

Life is hard even under the best of circumstances, and everyone has burdens that they carry…some of which would blow our minds if we knew. But I’m pretty sure there aren’t many burdens that are heavier than loving a prodigal. That can be an all-consuming burden. It chips away at your love, your trust, and your opinion of your prodigal and yourself. It demands your energy during the day and robs you of your sleep at night. It destroys your self-esteem, making you question yourself and even sometimes making you question God.

Make no mistake about it…we are in a war, and the enemy is stronger than we are. We’re fighting for our kids, for ourselves, and for our hope. Loving my prodigals hasn’t been an easy journey, and it’s not over yet. And I don’t know how all of this is going to turn out. Neither do you. But however difficult the path has been or will be and no matter the final outcome, I want to be found faithful. How could I not want that? How could you not? My goodness…it isn’t God who has disappointed us and broken our hearts. It’s the prodigal. The God who sent His Son to die for my sins and yours has been faithful in every way. So when the dust has settled and the story is finished and I have “withstood in the evil day,” I want to still be standing. I can’t do that without putting on the whole armor of God. And neither can you.

Challenge for Today: Can you, just for today, determine that after all is said and done and you have “withstood in the evil day,” that God will find you still standing? Can you take a look at the armor you will need to do that?

Author's Note

September 18, 2013:
Will God find you and me still standing when the battle is over?
Please “Share” this link to a new Precious Prodigal Blog Post
http://wp.me/p1D8dQ-cJ