The Fiery Darts

Shield of Faith

As it turns out, life is hard. With its twists, turns, and upside down(ness); it can be too much. I mentioned in my last post that the arrows keep flying at us. Not that life was perfect before, but after our son died, it has been exhausting to dodge the darts that have come our way. Serious. Sharp. Deadly arrows.

I delve deep into Bible study. I am a nerd, but mostly, I am after the heart of God. I genuinely love learning more about Him and drawing closer to Him each day. Honestly, there have been MANY times when those fiery arrows are being thrust at my loved ones WHILE I am in the Word. When this happens, I am at once thankful and confused.

How can it be that while I am deep in His Word, something horrible has happened to my family (even death)?

However, I can’t express how thankful I am that so much Truth and Love surrounded me at a time when it was needed more than I could have imagined at the time.

This juxtaposition is mindboggling.

Recently, a hot, fiery arrow once again headed our way. It was/is devastating, heartbreaking, and altogether horrifying. Spared the ultimate finality it could have been and tried so hard to be, I told my brother, “The arrows just keep coming!”

After a few hours, I received a text from him that shifted my perspective. He said, “Sister, you keep saying, ‘The arrows just keep coming,’ but YOU HAVE THE SHIELD OF FAITH!”

Okay!

I needed to hear that. I believe I needed to hear that from my brother.

Did I know I had/have the shield of faith? Yes, of course. But, had I viewed my situation(s) from that knowledge? Not really.

I was focused on the arrows (because they hurt the people I love most in the world).

I should have set my eyes on the ONE WHO controls all—even the arrows—and holds my family and me in the very palm of His hand.

Am I still dodging fiery darts? Well, they are still flying straight at me, but I stand up straight, hold my shield of faith, and keep walking. There is no need to crouch or cover my head (or heart) because my faith is strong, and come what may; He is my shield and hope.

Ephesians 6:16 says, “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.” ESV

In Matthew Henry’s commentary, he says, “Our enemy the devil is here called the wicked one. He is wicked himself, and he endeavors to make us wicked. His temptations are called darts because of their swift and undiscerned flight and the deep wounds they give to the soul…Faith is the shield with which we must quench these fiery darts, wherein we should receive them, and so render them ineffectual, that they may not hit us, or at least that they may not hurt us.”

The armor of God is fully available to believers who have put their faith in Him.

As Alistair Begg says (loosely quoted), “Satan has an arsenal of flaming darts. Most are subtle: trying to make us doubt God’s word, trying to get us to question His love, to resist His will. As believers, we shouldn’t consider it ‘strange’ as Peter says. We should expect these fiery darts of the devil. Some of these darts come in the form of depression, guilt, shame, anxiety, lust, imagination, desire, jealousy, passion, or temptation of all kinds. Satan will utilize anything in his arsenal to undermine our unity with Christ.”

Remembering our identity in Christ, putting on the armor of God daily, and taking up our shield of faith to guard us against the lies of the enemy is necessary to our daily walk with Him.

I know the darts are coming, but I have my shield of faith ready.

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