I remember random things very specifically. For example, various lines from movies, 5th grade literature listening to the teacher talk about the assigned book reading that I did not read, and my college literature professor once discussing the Ancient story, The Illiad.
In the story, Achilles, Agammemnon, Hector, and other epic characters play a role in the battle caused by the kidnapping of Queen Helen. It’s a great book for those who like war and Greek mythology.
To explain the beginning of the book, my professor mentioned the tale began “in media res”, or “in the midst of the narrative”, to show us the story begins in the middle of a larger story, with the action already taking place. Because the story begins in the middle of a battle, the reader is thrust into this intense conflict right away.
This makes me think of life of conflict we all as humans face as we journey through our years on this Earth. Not only are our lives filled with various moments of conflict, but we begin our story “in media res” of another greater story of which we are all a part. We are all a part of the same story of humanity that begins in Genesis 1:1 and continues through each of us.
Each of us begin our lives during a battle. At our very birth, we each are thrust into this intense conflict of life right away with little preparation. In fact, our birth, which is our very first experience coming into the world, could be said to be one of the most traumatic experiences of our lives. We then go on to a life in which we experience difficulties, suffering, loss, and failure.
I don’t mean to sound bleak as to say there are not tremendous moments of joy and goodness as well, however it would be naive to suggest that human life is not filled with conflict. Even so, this does not mean that our lives are bad, or we must be unhappy. No, we can have beautiful, joy-filled lives amid the battles and struggles.
The secret to having peace during conflict is pure invincibility. This means that we become impenetrable to the negative events of life, not that we respond to them as emotionless robots, but we experience them all with the understanding that they do not determine our happiness or our value as humans.
When we experience trauma or difficulties, the temptation is to allow these things to define us in our identities. To become invincible to the struggles in life you need to maintain your relationship with God. That’s the game plan in its entirety. Through your relationship with God, which is maintained by prayer or spending time with Him daily, you will grow in your understanding of who you are and what you are meant to do. You will be strengthened in your identity as a child of God, knowing nothing that happens to you can alter the Father’s love for you.
You will see all the negative experiences in your life as mere moments to ponder and use to grow closer to God and love others better. Your conflicts might still be hard, but they will not crush you as you grow in hope. You can look out upon the battles of daily life with peace and security knowing that you belong to God and nothing will change that.
Nothing brings peace like knowing that you belong to God. This knowing is not an opinionated desire. It’s not blind faith. Through your ever-increasing relationship with the Lord you will have certitude that He is with you and will never abandon you. What’s more, you will begin to see the world in a new way that increases your understanding of how the Lord is with you, which will only increase your peace.
The best example is the well-known, yet still amazing story of David and Goliath. David, a young shepherd boy, entered this conflict with an already deeply established relationship with the Lord. In the fields with his flock, he was already building his relationship with God and experiencing how God can help him with his conflicts.
David knew the Lord, knew that He was faithful, and believed that God would continue to do what He had always done for him. In fact, David exclaims this when he is explaining to Saul why he should let David fight Goliath. David says, “The same Lord who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear will deliver me from the hand of . (1 Samuel 17:37)”
David was right and went on to handle this conflict exactly as he predicted. He had tremendous peace even in the face of what others thought was certain death. David’s peace did not come from himself or from the removal of all conflict, it came from his deep relationship with God. He knew God, he knew that he was God’s son, and he knew he would be taken care of. We too can have this same knowledge which will bring us the same peace.
If you want this same peace during difficulties and conflicts, grow in your relationship with the Lord. Begin by spending time with Him. You can absolutely say things to Him in prayer, but even just thinking about God is enough. Do this as often as you can for as long as you can. It might not feel great at first but give it time and the peace will come.
You can also read about God in the Bible, listen to other people talk about Him, read stories about saints, or sing to Him through spiritual songs like in praise and worship. The important part of this is that you seek to know the Lord and make Him a part of your life.
If you would like assistance with growing in your relationship with God, we can help. At Zenith Ministries, we have been running a successful one-on-one mentorship program offering insight, real life solutions, inner healing, and spiritual guidance. Reach out today to receive a free consultation to see how we can help you overcome your struggles and enter into the beautiful life you were meant for.
Email us at info@zenithministries.com or call/text at 404-333-8978. Find more info at www.zenithministries.com/mentorships.
