“Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.” — Psalm 144:1
This is the third and final word of encouragement in a series about a mission trip to the Philippines. I was born in California and have lived in California my whole life. I am completely comfortable in the mild land of four seasons. In addition, I love that the humidity is low.
Then I went to a place with far different weather. It was humid, and I was perspiring. Actually, I was sweating. But to give you a real picture, I was drenched. I was so covered with excessive moisture that when I went into a room with air-conditioning (called “air con” in their country), I actually got cold because of the cool air hitting my drenched body. I wasn’t ready for this weather.
Shade, air con, and drinking water would be important in planning. The problem was, I got so hot and sweaty that my skin got dry, my lips and mouth got parched, and with my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth, I realized I was showing signs of pain. I needed to prepare better by drinking water, wearing a hat, staying in the shade, and coming inside sooner.
All too often in life, we get into those “catch-up” modes when we could have been preparing and pacing ourselves.
There is a wonderful set of verses that help us prepare for what the world throws at us:
“Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 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.” — Ephesians 6:11–12
Knowing God and spending time with Him before the troubles and challenges come is important. When we are prepared, things are easier. God is there. He always is. Yet often we haven’t taken the time to walk with Him and talk with Him. Then, in the midst of challenges, we realize we don’t know Him as well as we could.
Take the time each day to remind yourself of who He is by talking with Him. This preparation can improve your response to life’s circumstances.