Are You In the Battle?



“...pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace,

along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart”

- 2 Tim. 2: 22

Every part of my flesh wants the easy way. I want what is comfortable, what will cause the least pain, what will feel or taste good. But as I search Scripture, I cannot find God promoting this sort of mindset anywhere (as my flesh shouts, “dang it!”). And the Spirit within me testifies to the truth that in fact, this sort of self-gratifying lifestyle that essentially denies the power of Christ in my life will not lead me one step closer to true joy – in fact it will lead me closer to death.

Paul says that in the last days, many of us will live like the world, even though we are still in the church (“having a form of godliness, but denying its power.”), being “lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control...” (2 Tim. 3: 2-3).

If you were to honestly look at your life, does this sad list describe you? I confess it reflects my heart far too often, and I hate it. So do I throw in the towel and wallow in frustration and self-disgust (which is really just a reverse form of pride)? Or do I take the hand of my patient, sweet Lord Jesus and cry out to Him for His help to keep me from going the easy way that my flesh and Enemy shout at me to take? He is our only hope for the strength to “flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (2 Tim. 2: 22).

As believers, we are in a life-long battle - and I'm fairly certain that battles aren't easy! In fact, we should expect opposition, knowing that “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12). But because of God's crazy, unfathomable, boundless love toward us through Christ, let us keep struggling toward the righteous life He desires for us, in His power alone. Nothing this world has to offer will bring us such joy as this pursuit. We are powerless to do it on our own, but God will be faithful to work in us, even when we are faithless.