The Battle

Well, here it is. My fourth attempt at this post today. I will not go into the details of all the snafus today because I won't give the enemy the pleasure, but I will say this: get behind me.
So, a verse has been in my mind a lot these past few days, and it even came across my Pinterest "wall" the other day, so I looked it up and wrote it down and paid it more attention.
2 Chronicles 20:15  has been reminding me...
The battle is not mine. It belongs to God.
Well, isn't that simple? I'll just give up worrying about everything and trying to control everything and hand it over to God and relax. As crazy as that sounds, that is exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. I heard myself telling my friend this very verse the other day as she was telling me of a situation that had her in complete anguish. I said to her, "this battle is not yours. I know you think it is and you feel like it is, but it is God's battle." I believed it when I said it, and it helped her, but oh, how I felt her pain, because I feel that way too from time to time. Someone is sick and just gets sicker...someone is addicted and won't get help...someone is angry and won't listen to reason...a job is changing and we must change or lose it...the horse is thirsty but it won't drink! And on and on the list of problems go that are out of our control!
Because we weren't meant to control them. We weren't meant to carry that load. Problems are meant to bring us to our knees because it's only then that we say, yes, God, I need you. I can't do this and I need you to help me. He knows us better than we know ourselves.
I've realized more and more lately that I control next to nothing. I might control where I sit in my house. What I eat for the day. What I watch on TV. But I can't control anything or anyone. The minute I pick up my own sword and think I can fight my own battles is the moment I begin to fail and lose that so-called "control". What I lose is my peace.
On my windowsill is a verse I read out loud today:
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Do not be afraid.
That is a lot of  'Do nots" right there. Do not be troubled. Do not be afraid. I do not give as the world gives. And at the end of it, we are guaranteed peace. How do we end up with peace? Have you seen the news? Have you done a check with your friends and family lately and heard what they are all going through? It's not all rainbows and sunshine, is it? Peace? Where?
But a true believer in Christ walks in peace! He walks securely in Christ, knowing his or her needs are met, no matter what the circumstances are. Remember Paul? I love Paul. I think we would have been friends. I think of him often and sometimes I say out loud, "I remember your chains, Paul".  In fact, he spoke my favorite verse in the Bible:
Philippians 4:13  I can do everything through him, who gives me strength.
It's not our circumstances that give us a measure of peace. It is God's view. It is following His lead. We have peace because we are reassured that He is working for the "good of those who love Him" (Romans 8:28). We get to "Be still and know that he is God". (Psalm 46:10) and many many other Scriptures of reassurance that He is working toward our good and we need only be at peace.
And while circumstances surround us that might threaten to tie us up in knots or change our lives, we need to remember that the battle belongs to God. Our job is to stay in peace and to be a calming influence to those around us who may be looking to us for help. I could easily be a stick of dynamite with a half-lit fuse. I have that tendency to me, but God is working in me. I walk around the house, feeling anxiety, but claiming the joy of the Lord that consoles me. I might be fearing something, but I claim that God is making me courageous. And while we all want to think we're powerful and mighty, the fight belongs to God. He'll let us know if He needs us on His battlefield. Until then, we are to be strong in our meekness. At least that's the way I interpret the Word in my life. It's how I interpreted the answer to my prayer this week when I heard,
"It's not your battle. It's mine. Be still".  Yeah, I get that a lot. It doesn't surprise me at all. One day I'd like a better message. I'm on my way.
Blessings. I sure hope this post makes it to you. You wouldn't believe the trouble it put me through and it's missing so much of what I originally wrote. SIgh.....