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Aug 02, 2023 06:00am

Rise Up and Fight

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Years ago (really, a lifetime ago), I got into a fight with a girl. Well, it was really more like a scuffle…except she was my friend.

You see, there was a group of us playing “softball” together while our parents played tennis. We modified the game with tennis balls since that’s all we had on hand. My friend and I disagreed on whether or not she was out. I felt very strongly that she was out. She felt very strongly she wasn’t out. Our strong opinions grew heated. It brought forth the traditional let’s-get-in-a-circle-with-everyone-and-keep- mouthing type of confrontation. (As you can guess, this never ends well.) And then, the icing on the cake happened: My normally sweet and loyal sister defected to the “other side” and threw a ball at me, hitting me in the stomach (hard, I might add). Everyone started laughing. Oh, the agony! I was embarrassed, but I also knew I couldn’t show signs of weakness. Not at a point like this. This was one time in my life I knew I had to engage.

While my frenemy turned to laugh with those on her side, I seized the moment and did something out of character: I slapped her across the face. (The kind of slap where you could see the fingerprints afterwards.) She was shocked! (To be honest, I was too!) Then, in the blink of an eye, she was angry, and I was scared. It was game on. We scuffled around in a circle after that. I did have the upper hand in one area: she was incredibly thin. I took advantage of this by grabbing her arm and swinging her around like a rag doll before releasing her, letting her tumble to the ground. This bought me some precious time to think about my next move. After a few more scuffles and tumbles, our parents broke it up and scolded us.

Apologies were given, and life went on. (We didn’t really talk about the fight either . . . we just kinda moved on and ignored that it ever happened.) Our friendship continued over the years, without any more scuffles or tumbles. But here’s the interesting thing: I am not a fighter (especially with my fists). In fact, that was the only time I had ever engaged in a physical fight. Looking back, I realize it was silly, but at the time, I did something that was hard for me: stand my ground. Granted, slapping someone wasn’t the best way to stand one’s ground, but I feel it was the beginning of God corralling my red-headed, strong-willed self. That was the beginning of God teaching me to know what was worth fighting for.

Scripture is full of moments when God urged His people to fight. Sometimes, that was a physical fight or battle. Sometimes, that was a fight to do the right thing. Sometimes, it was just a fight for faith in a tough moment. Whatever the fight was, God showed up each time His people were willing to step up to the fight.

God even shows us the things worth fighting for in Nehemiah’s commission to his people: “Don’t be afraid of your enemies. Remember the Lord. He is great and powerful. So fight for your families. Fight for your sons and daughters. Fight for your wives and homes” (Nehemiah 4:14).

I believe God is calling us to the same commission today: to fight for the things that matter in life. Fight for your kids. Fight for your marriages. Fight for your family.

And most importantly, fight for your faith in Jesus.

I wonder, friend: Is there a fight God is calling you to? Perhaps it’s one that you keep procrastinating on? Perhaps it’s one that you are dreading? Perhaps it’s so overwhelming, you shut down thinking about it?

Let this be your battle cry: Rise up! It’s time to enter the fight and face the battles and struggles God is calling you to engage in. Stand firm in your faith and fight!

Over the next several devotionals, join me in looking at the many fights the prophet Elijah was called to face. These were fights for provision, for intervention, for faith, and for hope. And here’s the thing I love about Elijah’s story: if God showed up for Elijah amid his fight, he’s going to show up in our lives amid our fights.

And, dear sister, if you feel like you’ve been on the losing end of a fight for far too long, let the prophet Micah’s word stir in your soul: “Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light” (Micah 7:8).

Let’s take this journey together of becoming courageously confident women who rise up in the strength of our Almighty God, ready to face whatever battle He calls us to face.

As we will learn about Elijah, a miracle may be waiting for us on the other side.