This is how we fight our battles..
"....In the valley I know that You're with me
Surely Your goodness and Your mercy follow me
My weapons are praise and thanksgiving
This is how I fight my battles....."
If you've attended church at all lately, there's no way you haven't heard this song.
And if you love worshipping like me, you've probably swayed and danced and gotten lost in the moment.
But let's be honest: while it's awesome to sing and praise with abandon, and the Moment and the Presence of God is so real, it's easy to stay focused and to mean every word.
The tears are real, the prayer pouring out is real and it's needed!
It's where we draw our strength for the days ahead.
But the Real challenge is not in church!
The Real challenge is when the music has faded,
when the lights and fog machines are cold,
when the people you want to serve and the friends you had are the ones who turn their backs.
When Theology gets in the way of Grace.
When someone's belief gets in the way of your calling.
When people you build ties with, break your heart.
This has been true in the life of my family.
Those of you who know my story, know these things I talk about.
But to the rest, some stories stay untold.
The times when my Husband had to endure backstabbing by men he looked up to.
The times when I had to smile and wave at women who said the meanest lies about us.
The times my husband was asked to step down from a responsibility "till we clear the air".
The times some kids stopped talking to my kids because their mom remarried.
The times my son had to ignore people calling his mom an adulterer...
And I am honest here.
I've cried, wailed, gotten mad, complained to my sister, vented to my ex, vented to my friends, grit my teeth and planned taunts and replies in my head, called people names in my heart.
Held my daughter when she cried about these injustices.
Heard my son out and asked him to "ignore", though my heart wanted to say otherwise.
But through it all, as many times as it happened, My Husband stayed true to the words above.
Many have seen him lead worship and heard those lyrics in his beautiful voice.
What no one has seen is that every time we have to face trials and heartaches, this IS how he fights his battle.
We've seen Shabin handle ALL these situations with just these weapons:
a quieting down
a guitar
a worship song
a Bible.
What comes out of this time is the Quiet Strength of a Christian Man.
A man that holds his head and his heart high in God.
A man who still loves and holds no grudges.
A man who sets an example of Christ-likeness.
A man who's at peace.
I'm writing this as an encouragement to anyone who needs to fight some battles.
You and definitely I can learn from this: it's possible to come out stronger by fighting on your knees.
Of course me being me, I joke if that's how he "endures" being married to me,
but it leaves me knowing that the priest of our home serves his Master well.
And Prats and her babies are going to be just fine😊.
