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Worriers or Warriors?
Stress and worry are commonplace in our world today. We stress about crime or politics and we worry about money or careers to the point that our anxiety prevents us from enjoying our lives. God has called us to be warriors and not worriers. What causes us to be sidelined from the battle and consumed with worry? Most often, it is a lack of faith or trust in God.
When the Israelites met the Philistines at the Valley of Elah in 1 Samuel 17, we read how the Israelites reacted to the Philistine giant’s challenge:
Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. (1 Samuel 17:10-11)
The Israelites and their king had forgotten the source of the strength of their army. We know the rest of the story, however. The young shepherd boy David, sent by his father to deliver supplies to his brothers, hears the challenge of Goliath. David sees the army of Israel cower in fear before the giant, but he knows that he can face the challenge with confidence:
“Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”
(1 Samuel 17:36-37)
The Israelites were constantly in a struggle between being the warriors that God had called them to be, and being the worriers that they naturally wanted to be. They often grew impatient with God’s plan while wandering in the wilderness (Exodus 6:9; Numbers 21). Despite God’s deliverance of the people on numerous occasions, they would often begin to trust their eyes and be concerned about where they were instead of trusting where God was taking them. So often they needed to be reminded with words like Joshua spoke in Joshua 1:9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Today, as followers of Christ, we must guard ourselves against allowing the worries of life to prevent us from being the spiritual warriors God has called us to be. When we feel this anxiety and fear, we need to be seeking God’s wisdom, comfort, and protection.
Seeking wisdom from God requires us to first understand how much greater God’s wisdom is than our own. Romans 11:33 reminds us, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” James 3:13-18 contrasts the wisdom of man and the true wisdom of God:
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
The wisdom of God is able to solve many of our conflicts for us. Jesus, telling his disciples of the turmoil to come, gave them this assurance: “For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict” (Luke 21:15).
