Read that word and immediately your thoughts would probably go to “Oh, he is going to blog about conflict-management;” or “I bet he is going to talk about the need for forgiveness;” or something on that order. Well…you would be wrong. Not that I don’t believe there is a need for conflict-management or forgiveness…I do. But I have something else in mind. First a quote I read recently:
Life is not a bowling game in which we’re the ball. If anything, we’re a pin, and life is the bowling ball that keeps knocking us down. Patrick Morley
I can’t hardly argue with that one, can you? In fact, you could probably come up with several other metaphors for life that may be even more vivid than that one. We probably have all had dreams as a kid-from the Superhero who always won the battle and the girl; to the girl who always won her Prince Charming and lived happily ever after. Even now I find myself saying I want to be a hero-Maximus in Gladiator, or Aragorn in Lord of the Rings, or even MacGyver who used his wits to…well…outwit the other person. But life, and its reality, takes its toll. I don’t know about you but a person can only get knocked down so many times before he feels like that bowling pin. Did you know they actually pull pins to “rest” them in order to keep them fresh? Seriously. Sometimes I just want “pulled” or yanked from the fray. Dreams of being heroic are shot all to pieces. I want to scream “Get me out of here!” God put a warrior spirit within me, but to be honest, I feel like he gets squeezed, sort like one of those “squishy-like” balls they give you for rehab on your hands or wrists. Instead of being the victorious, conquering hero, I feel more like the vanquished, defeated general.
But I don’t want this to sound all gloom and doom, because it isn’t. Even though life is sometimes a knock-down, drag out fight, there are tremendous moments of victory! I think that is why movies like Gladiator resonate within me, and other men (and even some women). While Maximus had his whole world ripped from his grasp, and had actually given up any reason to live, he rose from the ashes. True, some of it was his pride, and some of it was revenge. I still get chills when he reveals to Commodus (isn’t it strange how a different pronunciation of his name carries a connotation of his morals and his life?) who he is. But he rose nonetheless.
Conflict of the spiritual nature brings out the best or the worst in us. We either stand with God’s strength coursing through our veins, or we fall in our own power. “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7 How are you faring these days? Are you standing in God’s power or in your own strength? The conflict is real and we were never intended to fight alone. Does someone have your back? My next post I want to continue on with this theme, only to look at temptation vs. testing. I hope you will comment on this post, and then return to read and comment again. I would love to hear your thoughts.
Bill, I’m coming out of “Season” of conflict. It wasn’t pretty or fun. I may be poised to enter another. The thing is… I’m not sure if we are running after God, that will ever stop!
We are in a battle, and it’s always raging. Not much time to rest! Press in and press forward!
Artie: I would love to sit with you and hear about your “season” and how you dealt with it. I am sure I could learn from you. Thanks for visiting my site.
First off, that is one of my favorite scenes ever. I get chills as well… Maximus is resting on his identity. He is confident and courageous. Awesome.
I need the reminder at times that God put in me a warrior spirit – one that is not timid, fearful and powerless. Instead, because of Him I can be strong, brave, and confident.
Thanks for this post, Bill.
I can see I am not alone. When he stares at Commodus and rattles off who he is, WOW! He KNOWS! You are a warrior Dustin. I look for God to do some awesome things through you and Jen. Thanks for the comment.
Hi Bill,
These days, I know I am standing in God’s power because if it were in my own strength, I would have fallen long ago. I agree with you that conflict of the spiritual nature brings out the best or the worst in us.
So glad to hear that you are standing in His power Mercy. Stand strong! Stand straight! Thanks.
OH my… the “C” word. How dare you talk about conflict. 🙂
My metaphor is that sometimes I’m the catcher’s mitt. I’m always catching 98 MPH fastballs and even the off-speed pitches are in the mid 80s.
Anyway. I think this is what makes us Christians an odd bunch. We are called to rise from the ashes and persevere. The only reason why we can is because He did. He said, “take heart, I have overcome the world”. So if He did, we will for His Spirit lies inside of us.
Oh, man, I love what you said Moe: “we can because He did.” We just celebrated that fact! Great insight and thought. Thanks.
“We can because He did…and will do it again and again in us, as many times as it takes…”
Rock on, Moe!
(I embellished it a bit…)
I assume you are asking “How am I faring” since the fairs don’t really start until later in the summer. I am faring fine. I sometimes wonder if I am supposed to be conflicted and full of woe. A lot of the responders tend to be having trouble enjoying life. I avoid conflict and drama. It’s not my thing.
I don’t live vicariously through movies or sports and so I am not really sure what those references are about.
I am working in a job that I think God called me to. I deal with issues of poverty in multiple fronts and it has been rewarding with some successes. But I am now feeling called to move on.
Is it possible God would call someone to be a professional gambler? I have been playing serious poker for 35 years. Could this be where I need to go. This is the only conflicting thoughts I have.
Went back and made the change Jeff. Thanks for pointing it out to me. 🙂 I think most people expect difficulty and are not surprised when it hits. I applaud your current way to help and hope that your next venture, no matter what it may be, will serve people as well. (Can’t speak about the gambling thing cuz don’t know). For your viewing pleasure… 🙂 …I have included a link, albeit a too short one to the scene in question:
http://youtu.be/rNdKBPcVGJI
Thanks for coming by Jeff. Always welcome it.
Yep. There is always conflicts. Best to prioritize them and tackle them one at a time all the while trusting and allowing God to lead you through it.
Considering the conflicts I experience daily, that is the only way to get through them with out a meltdown.
Gotta go with you on that Larry. Only one place to go so there is no meltdown. Glad you know. Thanks for the comment.
“. . . so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:21
In Romans 5:12-21, Paul “is not saying merely that we have life for a time, after which life ends in death; nor is he aiming to explain the fact of such death. . . . What he is saying is rather that all that we call life . . . lies under the dominion of death. . . . Death rules supreme in this world. . . .” But since the resurrection of Christ “the new aeon has become actual fact in our world. Christ stands at the frontier between the two ages, outdating the old and blazing the way for the new. . . . In the new aeon, which burst upon man with the resurrection of Christ, life has come to dominion still more mightily.”
Anders Nygren, Commentary on Romans, pages 22-23.
This life we live is not life. This life is a living death. This whole world is ruins brilliantly disguised as elegance. Christ alone is life. Christ has come, bringing his life into the wreckage called us. He has opened up, even in these ruins, the frontier of a new world where grace reigns. He is not on a mission to help us improve our lives here. He is on a mission to create a new universe, where grace reigns in life. He is that massive, that majestic, that decisive, that critical and towering and triumphant.
We don’t “apply this to our lives.” It’s too big for that. But we worship him. And we boast in the hope of living forever with him in his new death-free world of grace.
Note:I have this on file w/o the author.
Love the quote Ike. Very appropriate to the discussion. He alone is life and He alone will reign. thanks.
Good quote and good thoughts Bill – as always. 🙂
Thanks Jay. Always good to have you come by in spite of your crazy busy schedule.
I love 2 Timothy 1:7, it reminds me that once we have God, there’s no reason to entertain fear anymore.
How are my fairing these days? These days, I feel like there’s an invisible wall surrounding me so that the bowling ball doesn’t knock me out.
Are my standing in God’s power or in my own strength? I am standing on God’s power and not my strength. Whenever I try to stand by my own strength, I fail.
Hey Jaycee! So good to hear from you!! Glad to hear that you are surrounded with that wall around you and standing in His strength.
I would love to hear more about this Bill. I think we all could learn a lot from you.
I am humbled Michael that you think I can teach something others can learn from. Thanks for the trust. Thanks for coming by.
Bill,
Really enjoyed the quote. When reading this post I thought about this passage in 2 Corinthians 4:8
“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.” Even through we might feel like a bowling ball, we can rely on Gods strength and grace.
I know I need to be more consistent with attending church. Because when I don’t its so easy to feel like a bowling ball which is hit every time. Thank you for sharing.
Dan
That is a great passage Dan! Fits very well. i do think it goes beyond attending church. It is taking care to have that fellowship with Jesus on a consistent basis. Thanks for the thoughts.
So true Bill. Its all about the relationship with Jesus. Thank you for all your encouragement.
You’re welcome. You are the same to me.
Thanks Bill, I have never been a fan of conflict but in your analogy I feel I just need to endure the crashing of the ball while trying my best to keep looking up as I spin around knowing that thingy,that God thing is coming soon to set up the pins again. He keeps standing me back up and He always sets us back up and we can expect the next ball knowing at the end of the day, He is there.
The important thing Tom is to allow God stand you back up. 🙂 You state it well. Thanks.
Conflict is not always bad…depending on our response. Thanks Bill!
Conflict is the gadfly of thought. It stirs us to observation and memory. It instigates to invention. It shocks us out of sheeplike passivity, and sets us at noting and contriving.
– John Dewey
Sorry I failed to comment back here jay. You are right…conflict is not always bad depending on our response. Thanks for the quote. Always appreciate having you come by.
Hi Bill,
How am I faring? You can tell by my last few days of comments Bill:)I’m stressed, relaxed, tempted, struggling, burned out, facing trial, happy, sad, conflicted, alone, nobody has my back.
I’ve been having my struggles the last few weeks. I know which way I’m going but I’m still struggling with temptation….the devil knows how to tempt and pull us away from what God wants us to do.
I’m not sure whose strength I am in these days.. my temptation is so tempting…I don’t want to use the full force of God against it. that’s the struggle.
Paul states that he dies daily. He makes it a point of saying that he’s not exagerating when he says that. Who wouldn’t be tempted to step out of his life? His life was grueling and difficult. A big difference from his lifestyle before meeting Jesus on the Damascus road.
We can be that hero Maximus every day in our lives by our choices and decisons.
Linda: sounds like life has hit you square in the face with a knock down punch. Without knowing that temptation (and I am not asking to know), I can’t comment except to say that if you have to use the full force of God’s power to battle it, then use it. I reckon much of it depends on how much of a pull that temptation has on us. Choose to fight my friend.
Very good reminder, Bill.
I have to regularly remind myself that we are not battling flesh and blood.
Ephesians 6:12 TNIV
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
Put on that spiritual armor.
-Peace
That passage in Ephesians always rocks me Allen. I HAVE to remember it. Thanks for the comment.
I love this. Cannot wait to read more.
Without having the confidence of knowing God is with me I would crumble. It is that confidence knowing he is there that enables me to persevere through every conflict.
You are right about confidence in God. I hope my next post or two is worthy of your anticipation. Thanks for coming by.
Conflicts are real and never fun. I’m reminded of the song, Still by Hillsong, which has beautiful lyrics that get me every time. Also Psalm 46:10– He, says Be still and know that I am God…
Ain’t that the truth Jon! But if those conflicts to His side, then we can say they have extreme value. Thanks for the comment.
Sir, may I have another?
Out of humility I’d say I would be standinging 50/50. I do stand on God’s strenth for many things, but even though my own strength seems to be dwindling, I’m still managing to stand on it also. So many things going on physically and emotionally. But I know if I stand in my faith that God can do anything and everything, He’ll be the Victory in my life.
No doubt there are times, Ed, that we feel like faltering and giving up in our own strength. I believe that is when God’s strength becomes its strongest…when we have nothing left. Good point and thanks for coming by.