Thursday, June 2, 2022
For though the righteous fall seven times, they get up again. Proverbs 24:16
We are in a war. Just like Caleb and the Israelites, we have giants attacking us on all fronts every day. They are out to get us at all costs, and they are ferocious, relentless, and seem to be an insurmountable challenge to defeat. They are bent on defeating us first, taking away the promise God gives us.
Giants in our lives come in all sizes and shapes. Some are bigger than life, some are subtle, lingering in the shadows, around the corner, and wherever they can so they can constantly nip at our heels. Demoralizing and stealing our joy, they seek to rob our lives of the glory of God. He does not want His children to live in fear, bondage, or defeat to our giants. He wants us to live free. He wants our giants to fall, and He is the giant slayer. We cannot fight our giants in our own power, just as Caleb could never defeat those giants on his own.
Giants in Camouflage
Giants are not born giants. Giants in our lives sneak into our lives in disguise and very subtly. They may bring us happiness, comfort, and security. They conveniently meet a need buried deep inside, becoming something you can’t live without. And then they morph into giants that take over our lives when we are not paying attention.
Before they are finally defeated in our lives, our giants may knock us down a few times. You can be certain that if you get up, they are going to come back again. The most important thing – to get back up! Falling is not defeat unless you choose to not get back up. Victory is falling and choosing to get up again.
What is Your Giant?
Giants are anything in our lives that has control over us and robs us of the joy and freedom that is ours in God. Giants also stop us in our tracks, keeping us from growing in our relationship with Jesus and especially keeping us from moving into the purpose God has for us. As Christians we do have God behind us – and before us. But that doesn’t stop Satan from sending them in every chance we give him. We can try to fight them on our own, but we won’t succeed until we let God fight for us. He has already defeated the giants.
Some common giants are addiction, anger, anxiety, depression, fear, rejection, and even comfort. There are many more as well.
The Giant of Comfort
The idea of comfort being a giant may seem silly to some, but comfort can keep us from stepping into God’s purpose and plan for our lives just as much as fear can. It can cause us to become complacent or feel entitled. It can lead to us taking the easy path, to just get by with the bare minimum. Comfort is sneaky, especially in this society of self-care. Yes, we need rest, and yes, God wants us to take care of ourselves. But staying in our comfort zone when God is calling us out is different than taking care of ourselves. Then it is hiding.
Comfort can cause us to miss the very best God has for us because we settle for what is good. Let’s face it – we are a society of people who don’t want to be uncomfortable! If we can be happy, sitting in the same spot, with our proverbial feet propped up, we will settle and miss out on something incredible.
The abundant life doesn’t usually happen in our comfort zones. The abundant life is out there, but we have to go get it. We have to step out in faith and trust Him, following His will for our lives. Then, and only then will we find abundance.
