by Melody Jo Hamor
Do not be afraid!
Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army,
for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
2 Chronicles 20:15 (NLT)
Please believe me when I say: Trying to run the whole world is exhausting! 
I have a tendency toward people pleasing and people fixing. I’m one of those individuals who was born with a shoulder to cry on, and the majority of my fellows know it. Most of the time this is all well and good. I’m honored to be someone that can listen to, comfort, and encourage the people of God. For goodness sakes, I’m going to school for the very purpose of developing those traits with psychological training. But the real trouble starts when I want to help someone who won’t let me help them! Oh how aggravating that is! And oh how self centered of me it is! Who am I to think that I have the power to help everyone? I’m only human, after all, and I’ve got problems that need fixing, too.
I can tell right off the bat when I’m supposed to be helping someone. I can feel it being signaled to me deep in my gut. Supporting other people is a God given gift. What’s new for me is that I’m beginning to take hold of another signal: the one that says, “This time your job is prayer and patience - nothing more.” In these situations, I’m not being equipped by God to help someone in my usual way of supportive action. Instead, I’m being prompted simply to pray and wait. I think the key is realizing that every battle belongs to God, and so does every victory. God is the General. We are the soldiers. It’s our job to report for duty, no matter what the duties are that He assigns.
Thank You Lord for Your continued efforts to shape me into a good soldier, whether it be action or inaction that You want from me. I’m grateful for these moments when You humble me and ask me to do nothing but pray. It’s not only powerful in the lives of the people I want to help, it’s powerful in my own life as well. You’re the source of rescue, and the battles are Yours to win. Please make your presence known to those individuals I lift up to You in prayer - the ones I can’t help, the ones that won’t let me help, and the ones I don’t even know need help. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Tags: Breaking Down Strongholds, listening, prayer, Surrender
