02.15.09

Chinks in the Armor

Posted in God Centered, God in general, Spiritual Warfare, relationship at 3:27 pm by Administrator

We think of those we consider as steadfast christians. Previously, I discuss how I recently had a stay at a hospital. How does someone who is firm in their faith, end up in a position where they are in a state like this? I would suffice to say that we allow things into our lives that can serve as chinks in our armor where we can be attacked. We are told by Paul that:

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. (Eph 6:11 NIV)

I found myself in a situation where I was stewing in anger and resentment. Letting the sun go down on our anger opened up those chinks in the armor of God that’s protects us. That is what happenned to me. I was so upset that it led to resentment. The resentment led hatred. So I found myself with an opening in the armor that protected me from attack that you could run an army through. God is very clear about how we deal with this. He tells us frequently in the bible about the dangers of opening up chinks in our armor due to resentment, anger and wrath.

Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple. Job 5:2 NIV

The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help. Job 36:13 NIV

But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him. 1 John 2:11 NIV

In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Psalm 4:4 NIV

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. Psalm 37:8 NIV

I think what happenned to me could serve as a good warning to all. Sometimes we in our self-centeredness choose to focus on the things that we feel wronged about. We focus on our pain and our struggle. When inevitably we should give them up to God. I think this is one of the hardest things we as Christians are called to do. It is so natural for us to focus on how we have been wronged or how we feel that we lose sense of the love and people we are called to be in community and relationship with. To quote a counselor I had in the hospital, it as if we tell people that we love them and to come close with one hand and then we push them away and tell them to get the heck away with the other.

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