Motivation Monday – Why You Need To Fight Your Giants
“You will not know what is in you until there is a giant in front of you.”
I was on a virtual gathering with stunning women leaders from across Canada last week. We were all smiling onscreen, but when the guest on the call, an amazing author and speaker, began to share her story of contending for health and strength and perseverance in the face of adversity, we all began to slowly exhale. The collective sigh of relief came from the truth that not only did we not have to be appear perfect for each other, we could embrace the solidarity of our shared experience of feeling, quite frankly, battered in the battle.
Daily I must make a focused commitment to contend for:
Not taking offense when others do not meet my expectations or unknowingly hurt me
The sharing of the gospel to those God places in my path through kindness
Asking the Father for more of the Holy Spirit to help, guide and direct me
The salvation of family members
A healthy self – spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically
Doing all within my strength to build this movement called Gather
The discipline to pray for the women coast to coast who are themselves feeling battered in the fray of trying to be all the things with little or no fuel in their engines
But here is what contending really means: compete, challenge, vie, contest. strive, struggle, tussle, grapple, wrestle, scuffle, squabble, skirmish, battle, combat, fight, war, wage war, join battle, cross swords, lock horns, go head to head. oppose, clash.
The best example of the full meaning of this word is David facing Goliath which we read about in 1 Samuel 17. Undeterred by Saul’s protests that he was unsuited for the battle with Goliath, verse 34 says, ‘but David persisted.’
David didn’t choose the battle, but when faced with it, he stood in the middle of it.
He contended for the win in the face of adversity.
And so can you.
David saw another way. David saw this giant as an opportunity and not a threat.
And so can you.
We can all say of 2020 and 2021, “I didn’t choose you.”
But in the middle of all that has come against you, you can contend for the opportunities that have arisen because of this giant.
Honestly, some days, even most days, I am just. Too. Tired. To. Fight. How about you?
Don’t give up. Here are two principles that will keep you positioned to fight your giants.
Stop comparing yourself to your giant. You will always come up lacking. Instead, begin comparing your giant to Jesus. “Greater is He that is in you, than He that is in the world’ (I John 4:4), begins to take on new meaning now.
Understand that without fighting your giant, you will not be able to grow your capacity. You are always stronger after the battle. You are always faster after the race. You learn that with the right weapon, the head of your giant can fall. And the weapon is the call on your life. God has already placed in you what you need to contend for the battle.
You will not know what is in you until there is a giant in front of you.
Your giant did not create you. Your giant did not call you. Your giant did not destine you. God did. So if He has created, called, and destined you to overcome, you are positioned to face, fight and forge forward beyond the giant facing you.
Jesus has already contended for and won the battles of any giant you will face, because He faced death itself and had victory. His victory is your victory.
Romans 8:37: “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us”
Jesus contended for you in the face of the biggest battle ever waged against him and the most formidable giant ever to stand against Him.
Stay in the battle. Contend for all God has called you to. Speak for it, stand up for it, suffer for it. Don’t lie down in the face of a shadow because of fear. Choose faith over facts, because faith always sees another way.
Don’t look around for someone else to fight the giants that are placed in front of you. You didn’t choose them. But they are your opportunities. Slay your giants.
I believe in you!
Cathie