Life is a Battle

And they went out at noon, while Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the booths, he and the thirty-two kings who helped him. 1 Kings 20:16

Years ago, we had a pastor who often said, The Christian life is a battle. He didn’t make the Christian life out to be some fairy tale, promising the easy life. I always appreciated that. Still, I’ve not always taken his words seriously. If I had truly lived as though I believed the Christian life was a battle, one in which my life and the life of my loved ones hung in the balance, then I think I’d have taken my role a little more seriously. Instead, I’ve often lived for myself, doing my own thing, acting as if I don’t care about the potential ramifications of the daily battle that is raging around me.

This is the behavior that was modeled by the king of Syria in today’s passage. In the story, King Ben-hadad had amassed his troops, ready to invade Israel. Israel however, went on the offense and struck first. While Israel’s assault began, King Ben-hadad was drinking with all the other kings who’d joined him on his conquest. He should have been preparing for battle, but instead, he was partying, getting drunk. You’ll not be surprised that King Ben-hadad and his armies were soundly defeated that day.

Daily, when I get up and leave my house, I make choices that determine where my life goes. I’ve made enough terrible mistakes in the past that I should be profoundly committed to making healthy choices every day. The Christian life is a battle. It’s hard to always have my game face on though, so, sometimes, I’m tempted to let little things slide. No big deal. I can enjoy just a little sin. In a battle though, those little failures snowball into big consequences. So, if I don’t want my life to be a disaster, I must daily recognize the gravity of my choices, abandoning my way while pointing my life at God. The Christian life is a battle. If I want to be victorious, I must take it seriously, every single day.