Unshackled Echo ~ January 11, 2019 ~ Knowing Who We Are

My wife and I were watching a Lord of The rings derivative called The Shannara Chronicles last night, and something happened that started me thinking. I won't say exactly what happened, because I try not to spoil things like shows and books, but I will say this. First, if you're interested in this genre at all, don't expect much from the show, the books are much better, but it has potential to be brain candy. Secondly, there is a a scene where one of the main characters faces a terrifying situation, unlocks something hidden within him to make it through what is happening and then collapses once everything is done. Going through the situation, and doing what had to be done to survive it, took a toll. Another character says that the reason for the collapse is that the character had not yet resolved the issue of being that which what drew the hidden strength from within already knew him to be.

I think that is vague enough not to spoil it for anyone, and yet it reveals the spark that set fire to my thoughts. How often it seems that we face an enemy that we could never defeat, our Goliaths in various forms and manifestations, the demons that torment our minds and souls and the overwhelming odds stacked against us that seem to say there is no hope. We walk through the valley of the shadow and do indeed fear the evil. But, we do also trust in God, at least some, as much as we can, and we keep going, facing our fear. After a while, we find ourselves on the other side of the situation, God has brought us through. What we were facing didn't kill us after all. We weren't truly overwhelmed and defeated.  Goliath didn't rip us limb from limb. Then we collapse.

We fall apart. We feel weak, exhausted and used up spiritually, like we were the ones who fought the battle, when the truth is that, like David with Goliath and the army of Israel and the vastly outnumbering armies they faced, it was the Lord who did our fighting. God brought us through it. That's why it didn't matter that we could never overcome that situation on our own or defeat that demon ourselves, because we aren't on our own. What tires us out, leaves us spent and feeling battered and bruised is how much we struggle inside to resolve what our nature and senses say about the situation, who we are and our chances, with what God sees going on, who He says we are and His chances of victory.

The conflict between facing that situation or enemy unprotected by the world's standards, like David after he took off Saul's armor, and standing as a child of the King full of confidence in the face of an enemy who has no chance against our Daddy who is our strength, our shield and our refuge, can be a struggle that is exhausting and leaves us vulnerable. But when we remember from the start that we are who God says we are, fear flees, our strength is renewed and our peace is secure regardless of the hordes we face.

And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

- II Kings 6:15-17

Lord it is my prayer today that you open our eyes that we can see the forces that you have defending and protecting us, that we remember that it is you who fight the battles and face the foes and go out before us, and that we are children of the Most High God. Let there be no conflict that needs to be resolved between who we see ourselves as, who we believe ourselves to be, and the nature of your children that You say we already have and are.

Today's Unshackled Echo was previously published on

January 11, 2016.

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