If you don’t have stress about the holidays and you can’t fathom a freak out over the impending family get-togethers, this post is not for you….
The holidays and family reunions are just weeks away. Christmas decorations are going up and the first Christmas movies have already debuted at the theater. “Merry Friggin Christmas” is the first one I’ve noticed and from what I gather from the trailer, it is another movie that allows us to laugh at the chaos and stress holiday time usually brings.
I lead a small group of young women and we have been studying how to love like Jesus loves. We have been working through 1st Corinthians 13 and all of us have realized how much prayer and help we need to really love others. As we wrestle through this book and give accounts of our own failures and struggles to love others, about half of the group has asked for prayers in dealing with and loving family members during the upcoming holidays. The group has shared their wounds and memories from holidays past and fears concerning the holidays at hand.
Like these young women, many of you know that the instruction to love and enjoy family will be a challenge in the weeks ahead. You cannot avoid the reunions. You feel the need to build up your defenses, plan an escape route and solicit the prayers of anyone who will take the time to pray. It is going to be tough and it is wise to be prepared. This season will likely be a battle and if this means war, we need to get ready.
Ephesians 6 confirms for us the truth that our lives are battlefields. Paul instructs the Ephesians and all of us to suit up in our defensive armor. One of the first armaments he tells us to put on is the breastplate of righteousness. Our righteousness is found in Christ alone, but I am so far from righteousness. I find that to be blatantly true when confronted with the challenge of loving certain people. I discovered another verse today where Paul was instructing another group of Christians on how to get ready for their relationship battles:
“But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.” 1 Thessalonians 5:8 (NKJV)
There are profound and practically applicable truths in this verse for all who are anxious about the battles awaiting during this holiday season. We are of the day. The season and time is now and we cannot hide in the dark from these situations. We are to be alert and engaged. We should not avoid the battle or numb our engagement with fluff and façade. God designed relationships. He created families and the enemy loves to mess with family relationships. He often uses family members to launch his fiery darts (Ephesians 6:16). As we prepare for battle, we are not told to manufacture and collect our own darts. We should not be planning the perfect response or comeback to the imminent insults or looming jokes set for launch at our expense. We are told to put on the breastplate of faith and love.
We need a breastplate because the fiery darts are aimed at our heart. An actual flaming arrow has never wounded me, but I have burned myself before and I have felt the scorching pain of a deep cut. The physical pain of a wound doesn’t hold a candle to the pain of a wounded heart. It is only prudent and wise to put on protective heart gear. Our hearts are sensitive and vulnerable and we should expect to have darts launched at them. We must protect our hearts. We protect them by putting on a breastplate of faith and love. If our faith is in Jesus, we are protected. If our faith is in Jesus, we actually can love like He loves. If our faith is in Jesus, God considers us righteous. Jesus is the only one who loved perfectly, and we are armed with the truth that He perfectly loves us, and He will walk with us in battle. With the captain of Heaven’s armies leading the charge, we can follow His example and be patient and kind and not envy or boast.
As you prepare for your upcoming battle, suit up. Meditate on what it means to love and how to love like Jesus does. This is your breastplate! Know that as you march on as a soldier who loves the Lord, He will help you love the ones in your life that are difficult to love.
This battle will not last forever. Remember, you are also wearing the helmet of salvation. One day soon, you will love as perfectly as Jesus does, because you will be with Him. There will be no more war or tears. Have faith…there is great hope and perfect love just around the corner.
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NKJV)
“In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.” Ephesians 6:16 (NLT)