Spiritual Warfare
Do you ever look around at other people and compare their relationship with God to yours? You might ask yourself questions like, “Why does it look so easy for them?” or “Why do they appear to have so much peace and I’m still full of anxiety?”
It’s easy to be doing everything “right” in our relationship with God, but still feel like we’re missing a step. There’s been so many times where I’ve questioned why God feels absent in my life, while other people are so on fire for the Lord. I don’t get it, why does this look so easy for them? It’s hard enough to even pick up my Bible right now, let alone to actually get myself to read it.
I remember sitting with a college friend in the cafeteria and telling him about how much I was struggling in my walk with God. I was looking around at my peers and listening to them talk in Bible studies about how inspired they were by His word. They just couldn’t wait to wake up at six in the morning and do their devotion. But me? At the time, I was anything but inspired. I was unmotivated and discouraged. I felt disconnected from God, and comparing my journey to theirs only made it worse.
Sometimes life is hard because it’s life and we’re living in a broken world. Other times, though, life can be abnormally difficult because it’s spiritual warfare. In Ephesians 6:12 we’re reminded that “we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” And I’ve noticed that usually the fight gets harder when we’re doing something right.
It happens when we’re walking the path God has called us to walk,
when we’re about to experience a breakthrough,
when we’re leading a small group,
when we’re pursuing purity in dating,
when we’re sharing our faith with others.
It’s when we’re seeking God and His will for our lives that the enemy comes to cause chaos.
So if you’re struggling to draw near to God, I don’t think it’s always going to be because you’re doing something wrong. If anything, it could be because you’re doing something right. So pause and see if you should keep going.
Keep walking the narrow path that leads to life (Matthew 7:14),
keep reading your Bible,
keep going to church,
keep seeking out wise mentorship,
keep praying with, and over, your friends and relationships,
and honestly, if all you have is frustration, or tears, as an offering to God, that’s enough.
So remember these things the next time you’re ready to quit:
You can’t compare your walk with God to someone else’s.
Memorize and quote scripture. We see Jesus do this in Matthew 4:1-11 when He’s fighting temptation. Write it on your bathroom mirror, or in any other place you know you’re going to see it.
If life is abnormally hard, it’s worth considering that you might be doing something right. Pray, use wise discernment, and remember that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
Ask others to pray with you and over you. Be open and honest. Ask God the hard questions. Our walk with God is allowed to be messy.
God wants all of us—not just bits and pieces. He knows what’s around the corner. He isn't blindsided or thrown off by what’s next. He’s got you.
As always, this is a piece of my heart. Consider it yours. Be free to fly.