I find what I often need is a shift in my perspective, not a major change in my circumstances. I sometimes have tunnel vision of what I think is happening and what I believe should happen, and I miss what God is doing. So what is God doing? Really, what is he doing in your life? HE IS FIGHTING FOR YOU! He is fighting for the life he created you for. He is arranging and rearranging to bring you face to face with your destiny. And all this time, he’s trying to help you keep the right perspective on it all.

As a follower of Christ, you are on the winning team. Whatever battle or struggle you may be facing, you are bound to win because look who is standing beside you. Jeremiah 20: 11 says “But the LORD stands beside me like a great warrior.” God is on your side. And scripture reminds us if God is for you, who can be against you?

What confidence this brings when we truly understand God is with us and God is for us. Honestly sometimes it doesn’t feel like it though does it? Sometimes it feels like everything that could go wrong does go wrong. Sometimes it feels like we are losing the battle and nothing within us is good enough or strong enough to continue, so there’s a temptation to just quit. And this is when we most need to remember the Lord stands beside us like a great warrior.

His presence is enough to make the enemy flee. His shadow covers you. You are covered my friend, you are covered. You have a warrior next to you willing to go into battle for you. Don’t you know God is fighting for you? For you, not against you.

In Isaiah 55:9 God says “For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” His ways are better. When will we finally understand that and fully surrender to it? Not my way, but yours Lord. I trust you. I trust your plan. I’m just going to snuggle in close under your shadow and let you stand beside me like a great warrior, and together we’re going to go right through this battle. Together we’re going to make it. And through it all you’re going to strengthen me, you’re going to guide me and you’re going to keep making me better.

Today, may we find the grace to keep going. May we have the perspective to see things from God’s hands. May we find the perseverance to just do the next right thing. May we find the willpower to bite our tongue and zip our lip when the temptation is there to spew negative words. May we find the confidence to bring the injuries and insults laid upon us to God and leave them at his feet instead of piling them upon our own shoulders. May we live boldly and confidently as winners. Winners because of the great warrior standing next to us. Winners because we have wisely chosen the right team.

Now, let me remind you of this. Perhaps you are at odds with someone today. Someone said something or did something and you’re offended or insulted or honestly you’re just hurt. Before you go into battle with them, ask if they’re on the same team as you. Are they one of God’s children? Are they a follower of Christ? If they’re not, then don’t battle them, fight for them. Fight for the thing which is much more important that the disagreement, fight for their soul. You may be the only Jesus they see.

If this person is on the same team as you as a follower of Christ, don’t’ battle them either. You’re on the same team. Offer them grace. Go first in laying down the weapons and refusing to fight someone on your own team. What a work of the enemy to make us feud with our own teammates. How totally ineffective are we if we’re fighting and bickering?

Aren’t there bigger battles to be fighting today? Here’s the all important question to put your perspective back into alignment. WILL THIS MATTER 5 YEARS FROM NOW? This thing you’re upset about … this misunderstanding … this conflict … will it matter 5 years from now? Typically the answer is no. So, please don’t waste today on it. Rise above the invitation to bicker and zip that lip. If there’s a battle to be fought, God’s got it. If defending is necessary you have a warrior right beside you who is more than capable.

God sees it all and what he wants you to do today is trust him. Trust his ways. Find the grace to keep going and do the next right thing. Shift your perspective to see God is at work in every detail and this is bigger than just you.