The Never-ending Battle
It`s been a while since I’ve written a blog, because of a speaking trip to India in September and October. . This is probably the first time that it hasn’t felt hard to write something as I`m fighting a big battle right now and my life looks anything than rosy! The battle that I`m fighting is something that is related to my speaking trip to India and I`m not going into details here.
I have gone through lots of battles in my life – mostly physical ones, but also emotional and spiritual ones. One of the hardest battles I`ve ever fought was in 1998 when my second kidney transplant failed after just two years. I was so disappointed, so upset and so emotionally disturbed that I got to a point where I wanted to take my own life!
Lots has happened since then. I’ve had to fight battles that I never thought I would have to, and fought battles I never thought I’d be able to!
Have you ever felt as if your life is a constant battle? That as soon as one battle finishes, another one appears in front of you?
In this blog I want to write about the never-ending battle and what I have learned throughout:
1. Battles serve a purpose
Battles in themselves are very difficult. We don’t usually wish to have them, but they are a part of life. Battles serve the purpose of causing us to be stretched, to grow and to be formed into who God wants us to be.
Often, my prayer when fighting a battle is that I won`t just win or get through it but that I would also learn something from it!
Our battles in life, no matter how long they last, will always serve a greater purpose. God knows our purpose and what we need for it. He has the best for us and He wants to give us the best!
The greatest battle achieves the greatest win!
“And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.“ Romans 8:28 (AMP)
God only wants the best for us – always! But there is no way of getting the best via Easy Street! We rarely get the best because of what we want, the way we want it, how we feel or how we think it should be – rather because it’s what we really need.
2. Battles are necessary for growth
Battles help us grow in life. Let me give you an example. I really like exercising. But, most of the time my body is filled with toxic substances, apart from when I’m at dialysis. This makes things very difficult as my body doesn`t feel like exercising. I have to overcome a lot mentally as well as physically in order to start exercising.
Two to three times a week, I push myself into my exercise clothes to do my 45 minutes of exercise!
It never feels comfortable – neither before, during or after the exercise and it can be very painful at times! But usually the day after, I feel refreshed, stronger, more focussed and it slows down the ageing process a little bit too! 🙂
The battles we fight are not comfortable! But they help us to grow, to be stretched and to get better day-by-day! I once read this great statement somewhere: “Choosing the easy life now will give you a hard life later. Choosing the hard life now will give you an easy life later”. (Unknown)
3. Battles challenge us to renew our mind-set
This is probably my favourite! I love to learn new things and to do things differently to how I have before. Often it doesn`t feel like that because doing things the way I have done until now is much more comfortable.
But battles allow us to become experts in a certain area and if we reflect on the experience we can be renewed in our minds.
“And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].“ Romans 12:2 (AMP) (emphasis my own)
God wants to renew our minds daily so we can grow into what He has called us to be! Our minds are renewed when we embrace the lessons we can learn from the battles we face in our lives!
I hope I have encouraged you! Fight the battle, embrace the battle and make it your best friend!
Be blessed
Nathanael
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