A Greater Battle
About a week ago, as I struggled to get my lawnmower started, a thought occurred to me:
If something this insignificant upsets me this much, my life has been too easy.
In an instant, I stopped pulling on the mower and sat down beside it.
Too easy? My life has been too easy?
At any other time I would have laughed at such a suggestion. But that day, I couldn’t laugh. That day, I realized it was true.
Don’t get me wrong. I can tell you plenty of stories about my past “struggles” and every word would be true. But that doesn’t mean I had things tough. It only means I thought I had things tough. Big difference.
The “importance” of my broken lawnmower vanished. The fact that my kids hadn’t cleaned their rooms suddenly meant nothing. And my worries about what might happen in an “important” meeting the next day seemed laughable. Absurd, even.
It is true. My life has been too easy.
Of course, had this suggestion come from another person, I would have fought it with a vengeance.
How dare someone suggest that my struggles weren’t as significant as I made them out to be!
Yet, this is exactly what I have come to believe.
Philo of Alexandria said, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.”
I now realize this is not entirely true. Some of us are just fighting our lawn mowers.
For me, this realization is having a dual effect.
First, I am counting my blessings more often. And second, I am realizing that, since we tend to grow in relation to the struggles we face, if I am to grow, I must learn to fight a greater battle.
Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 at 02:48 PM
Share Blair:
(3) Reader Comments about A Greater Battle
Asher says...
Loved the article, it made me think. Isn’t the point that everyone’s view of of ‘great’ is relative, entirely personal and is hugely influenced by what was happening at that time. In retrospect, perhaps ‘great’ batttles look ‘minor’ but isn’t that the beauty of hindsight?
Posted on 10/05/2006 at 10:46 AM
SMOL says...
Perhaps your great battle is precisely not having a real one, for how could you not have a great battle in a world like the one we live in, if not by remaining abominably selfish.
Smol
Posted on 11/23/2006 at 05:17 PM
John Wardell says...
It’s not our battle… I am reminded of a Quote from the spirit of the Lord “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD”
It appears to me that we are standing in the
midst of a great battle indeed.often times being still and watching, and waiting is the best way to keep from becoming more entangled.
sometimes when my wife has the sword out so-to-speak- I just be still.Works very well!Posted on 01/27/2007 at 09:42 PM
Leave a comment
Next entry: What you can learn at Wal-Mart
Previous entry: Ugly Babies
