Giants

I think we probably all have a giant in our lives. You know... One of those things that seem so huge, so enormous, that we think we can never get past them. Those things that keep us awake at night. Those things we are afraid to even look in the face.

Giants come in many forms, but they all have the same goal: to paralyze their prey with fear.

Almost exactly a year ago I decided I was tired of living in fear of the giant in front of me, tired of standing still and watching it take things that were precious to me. I was fed up with feeling completely helpless, fed up with the taunts the giant threw in my face every day, fed up with my own cowering before them.

I declared war.

In the face of the taunts, I reminded him that God's mercy is more than enough to cover even my worst mistakes and bad choices. When the giant caused nightmares that made me wake in the night shaking and in tears, I quoted verses in its face until my heartbeat returned to normal and I was peaceful enough to sleep once again. When the giant tried to come between me and relationships that were important to me, I pushed past it to the people that I loved and that loved me. When the giant tried to tell me I wasn’t worth anything, I pointed out that Jesus thought I was worth enough to die for.

To my shock, I saw the giant begin to falter.

My declaration of war began as a timidly whispered verse or two, that I wasn’t even certain the giant could hear, but when I realized that the giant couldn’t stand against the strength that lives inside me (I John 4:4), I grew bolder in my declarations.

The last number of months have been open warfare between us, and while I haven’t won every battle, I already know who the victor of the war is.

I’ve seen the giant take a de.ath-blow. He may still be on his feet, but the stone is sunk in deep. And it’s only a matter of time until he lies on the ground.