Warriors

 

Most who have known me for any length of time will tell you I am a bit stand-offish. Hard to get to know. Opinionated (aren't we all)? They will say I keep to myself more than I join in. A loner, of sorts. 

Yet...I have been a business owner most of my adult life, where one must be approachable, kind, understanding, and welcoming. I suppose what others mean is that once the day has ended, I disappear. And they wouldn't be wrong. I've never felt that I "fit in". Never really wanted to. Even when attending important business training events (I've always loved learning new things), it was only for what I could absorb worthy of my profession, and...for experiencing humanity. I do love people and listening to their life's story. I do enjoy being where they are, for a time. I'm just not interested in large get-togethers. Ironically, that's where the people are. So, maybe I have some work still needing done. I think we're running out of time...

It's always been my opinion that it's easy to fit in, if one really wants to. What is hard, is to be who God created us to be, while in the mix of living life. We fight against being "different" while the pull inside is to bow our will to that of the Father's, so that we might become warriors for the kingdom. Warriors that are willing to follow Christ, without needed accolades and fear of opposition. 

We don't recognize it to be our life's calling until much later in life, unless we have been given permission, as a child, to listen to the rhythm of the heart, where warrior-hood was embedded while our form was being knit together inside our mother's womb. Unless we have been trained to wait patiently, as maturity grows from listening to the holy spirits call, we will become followers of whatever is popular at the moment.

'Tis true...the heart can be deceptive and lead us down a path of ease. It will tell us we can have whatever we want. And just like every lie, there is a thread of truth that runs throughout it. We CAN have whatever we want. We can have strength, or we can have passivity. We can follow the lessons taught by the greatest of all teachers, or we can follow the path that many travel. The easy way. The way of least confrontation, least resistance. We can "just go with the flow" or we can stand up for truth, welcoming the fight...the road less traveled. 

Something to remember: Warriors train for battle. Warriors prepare for loneliness. Warriors know there will be days of resistance. Want to become a warrior?

Then allow inner strength and growth to happen, never giving in to violence or selfishness. Selfishness is a broad term and has many faces. To be self-centered is to think of oneself only, rarely (if ever) acknowledging others needs beyond your own. It protects itself. Yet, warriors are purpose-driven, resilient, and disciplined every day. Continually improving by learning, and pushing beyond their limits. They deny the urge to give up when life becomes hard. And they are ever mindful of others needs beyond their own.

Being a warrior is about becoming the builder of our destiny, by embracing challenges as opportunities for growth, as we train our mind and body. Maintaining honor and integrity.

King Solomon reminded us that God appoints each moment, bringing a mix of joy and sorrow, life and death, with a divinely chosen purpose for each. But...while in the mix of life, we all have been given the choice to follow the path of least resistance (the road many choose), or the road less traveled; where battles must be fought to survive. Where becoming a warrior is necessary. We can travel whichever direction we choose. Just know they both have battles to be won...or lost. In this world, we will have problems, no matter which path we choose to walk. The difference will be between those of us who crumble under the weight, and those who see past the storm and forge ahead.

The question we must ask ourselves is, do we sit with folded hands, refusing to do battle for those we love? Or do we take up the sword of truth and do the spiritual warfare we have been asked to do? The path most often taken is one where truth has become murky. "There's more than one way to the Father," is one of the biggest deceptions out there. There's "your" truth (again a bit of truth in this lie...because we must choose), and then there is the ONLY truth. Which is knowing right from wrong. Something is either true, or it's false. Only one truth. And I think most of humanity knows where to find it.

Becoming a warrior is not for everyone. But it is for anyone...

As always, here you will find me...in Mary's World. 

#myjourneyamongtheunseen #lifeissues #theforgottenway #takeupyourcross