Stand Your Ground

“Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness.” (Ephesians 6:14 NLT)

Defectors are never seen as noble heroes in any culture. It is not honorable for a soldier to run away in the midst of battle, even if he is overwhelmed. Yet, more often than not, when faced with the prospect of conflict, most of us choose to abandon our post rather than stand our ground. When things get difficult, we abandon our jobs, marriages, and homes. When things don’t go as we planned, we lose hope. When our prayers are not answered, we withdraw from God.

What enables us to stand our ground and fight life’s battles? Some people seem to be born with innate courage and perseverance. I’m not one of them. I come from a long line of people who would rather start fresh than deal with messy situations. I don’t like conflict. I try to avoid it as much as I can.

However, I have learned to defend my territory, my sacred space. This encompasses everybody and everything I hold dear--my faith, my loved ones, my home, my health, my convictions, and my way of life.

Over the years, I have adapted a few strategies that help me persevere. First of all, I admit to myself that this urge to flee is a weakness. I don’t try to pass it off as apathy or just wanting to get a fresh start. I gird myself with truth instead of living under pretenses and false messages. I ask God to shield me and guide me. I pray for courage, discernment, and a sense of purpose. I wait for the Holy Spirit to empower me with inner strength and fortitude. I have faith that God will help me grow into the kind of person He wants me to be. Finally, I stand my ground, willing to deal with whatever comes. For the the battle is not mine, but God’s.