Pick the Right Fight

Yesterday I was not a nice person to be around. I'm going to be honest with you about that upfront. My husband caught the biggest part of my wrath, but I'm pretty sure there was enough to go around to pretty much everyone I encountered. I'm not proud of that. It all started with something simple. I should have seen it for what it was, but I picked the wrong fight.

We are right on the cusp of a brand new season. Our church planting adventure is gearing up and we are starting to really see huge strides towards assembling an actual church. We came here knowing no one and now we are slowly assembling a core team with the same burden to reach this area that we have. We've been focused. We've been swimming deep in prayer. We've been working hard.

So I shouldn't have been surprised by yesterday's events. It was nothing huge... just one of those days full of frustrations. The enemy always attacks when we get busy for the kingdom. We've seen it before and we will undoubtedly see it again. But somehow, I lost sight of that.

Yesterday afternoon, I strapped on my running shoes and hit the pavement. I spend my run praying, pouring out my list of frustrations from the day and seeking God's intervention. In return, the Lord gently reminded me that I had a lousy attitude.

It took a few hours and a good talk with my husband before I let it go and realized that I was fighting the wrong enemy. You see, I had turned my frustration at Josh, but he was not the source. I got my feathers ruffled over something stupid and used it as an excuse to be in a sour mood all day long. But by the time I went to bed, I realized that my anger was aimed at the wrong person.

Ephesians 6:12 says:

"For 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."

This verse gently (okay, not so gently) reminded me that I was fighting with the wrong one. My husband is not the enemy, even when he makes me mad. My children are not the enemy, even when they drive me batty. My circumstances are not the enemy. My job is not the enemy. My finances are not the enemy.

My real enemy is unseen, just as Scripture teaches. If I am to get angry and do battle, I must pick the right fight. With that in mind, today I have been mindful to fight through prayer. I offered a major apology to my husband who just laughed and hugged me (he's amazing like that). I also asked God to forgive me for the way I had been acting. 

If you are having one of those days where your circumstances leave you in a "funk" or your loved ones make you angry, take a minute and pray. Pick the right fight and realize who your real enemy is. Then pick up God's Word and do battle the way you should.... with a humble heart and a lot of prayer.