Training Day

Training Day

"These are the nations that the LORD left, to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan. He did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience." (Judges 3:1–2)

It is sometimes good to allow those under our care to experience life on the hard and harsh side. It may not be comfortable, but it builds strength and character. When everything is handed to a person on a platter of gold, it often weakens their resolve and resilience.

God Himself trained the younger generation of Israelites who had never seen war. They were living in the benefits and victories their parents had fought for, but they had no personal experience of battle. So God, in His wisdom, did not drive out all their enemies immediately. His purpose was clear: to train them in the art of war.

Life itself is a battlefield, and if a person has no battle experience, how can they expect to stand strong when challenges come? Even though victory is assured in God, we still must fight and win the battles before us. We do not fight for victory; we fight from victory.

David said that God teaches his hands to war and his fingers to fight. The Bible also tells us that Jesus learned obedience through the things He suffered. Sometimes, if life were always easy, we would never learn persistence, prayer, patience, or dependence on God. That is why God sometimes allows difficulties to come our way — not as punishment, but as training. These challenges push us to our knees in prayer and draw us closer to Him.

So we must not despair when we face trials. We must remember that we are in a controlled environment. God is training us, building us, and giving us experience for the battles ahead.

Reflection:
Not every difficulty is an attack; some are training exercises. God is more interested in our growth than in our comfort. The battles we face today are preparing us for the responsibilities and victories of tomorrow. When we understand this, we stop complaining and start learning.

Prayer:
Lord, thank You for the training seasons of my life. Help me not to complain in difficult times, but to learn what You are teaching me. Train my hands for battle and my heart for obedience. Give me strength, patience, and faith to endure every trial, knowing that You are preparing me for greater things in Jesus name. Amen.

Have a fruitful day,
(Dr.) Emmanuel Okoro
(aka Dr. Lift)

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