Internal Battles

I like it when things go smoothly or when problems go away easily...I don't think anyone will find that statement abnormal. But, as I often find out (as I'm sure you have as well), life does not always provide us with smooth or easy. This should not come as any surprise, though. In fact, a life with little or no struggle would (should) be a strange one to the Christian. The path laid before us is one fraught with battles- both internal and external. In the internal, what we fight against are those evils that have either found a place to make a home in our hearts, or those things that look to do so. We need the Lord's help to be able to see clearly into our own thoughts, words, and actions. Often, God uses a spouse or a trusted friend to bring this clarity, but sometimes it comes simply through prayerful reflection. It's said that George Whitefield, the great 18th century evangelist, laid in bed each night thinking over all of the days events, not just replaying them in his mind, but desiring to find the motivation of his heart as to why he said, or acted, or thought as he did. These actions are not necessarily evil in and of themselves- they might look innocent enough, but the intention of the heart may not be pure or innocent. It's possible for one to look like a servant while manipulating for his own gain. Whitfield knew this, and wanted to snuff out sin before it had a chance to take root. There is nothing passive about sin. It is an active power that gains strength in a willing or lackadaisical heart. Even while it might appear to lay dormant, it still wants more of the heart, more of the mind, more of the affections. In essence, it wants all of the person, ultimately his/her destruction. Hebrews 3:14 describes sin as working to deceive, and when it has done so, it then sets itself to harden. After taking root, not only is it more difficult to kill, but sin aggressively seeks to harden you against the notion that it is either evil or present. It simply wants to become the norm in your life, much like the arrangement of the pictures on your walls; there was a time when these things were placed in their current position, but after a while, neither their configuration nor their existence is even noticed. Also, sin never stops once it has started. In fact, according to John Owen, it "aims always at the utmost; every time it rises up to tempt or entice, might it have its own course, it would go out to the utmost sin in that kind. Every unclean thought or glance would be adultery if it could; every covetous desire would be oppression, every thought of unbelief would be atheism, might it grow to its head." There can be no level of comfort within the Christian after the discovery of a present sin. It will not cease to gain territory- much like an army that progresses in battle or a fire that consumes a dry forest, it will not stop until its design is complete. It cannot be ignored. Even if it has not shown its face for a time, do not become complacent, as it is a sly enemy which will present itself stronger in the future, often at the most inopportune time The flesh is weak and powerless against it. Self-discipline and "trying harder next time" might show some temporary gains, but eventually the sinful desire overcomes the will, and having fallen prey again, the hardening process continues. Fortunately for the believer in Christ, the battle can be won. It is a war that only the Spirit of God can achieve (Romans 8:5-13). The Spirit, by faith, awakens in the believer a desire for holiness and righteousness, and as this desire is kindled, sin will be more noticeable, more hated, and more aggressively fought. In the process the cross of Christ will be seen more clearly, the grace of our Lord praised more loudly, and the blood of Jesus found more precious, as it cleanses the repentant from that which injures fellowship with our God. The Lord is indeed a refiner's fire and a fuller's soap (Mal. 3:2). He will purify His people, and He calls us to set ourselves against the sin that still dwells within and fight to the death. I do like it when things go smoothly and when problems go away easily. Unfortunately, when dealing with sin, it does not fit neatly into this category. This difficult internal engagement will take a lifetime of Spirit-enabled, Gospel-focused fighting, resisting, and thwarting, but it is a battle worth waging- for His glory and our joy.