“People at war with themselves will always cause collateral damage in the lives of those around them.”
So recently I asked my Facebook friends to tell me their best quote. I received numerous quotes throughout the day. As I was reading through them, one in particular stuck out in my mind it read, “People at war with themselves will always cause collateral damage in the lives of those around them.” What does it mean to be at war with you? This can be a problem anytime we are in turmoil with our own life, such as being dissatisfied, allowing an addiction, unhappy, etc. You could have a problem with drugs, and your family suffers for your mistakes. It could be that you are having an affair, because you no longer believed you were in love, and now two families lay broken in the aftermath. Maybe you hate your job, so therefore, all your colleagues have to put up with a bad attitude. If you are not making healthy choices, you may be short with those around you because you feel so badly. If you are trying to find your place in life, you can feel frustrated and annoyed, which may lead to a short fused temper.
I am reminded in scripture of a man who was in turmoil because he saw a lady he wanted and took her. The man’s name was David. His focus should have been on the battle at hand, but instead let his eyes drift, which led to a war within his own mind. When he saw Bathsheba he immediately desired her. This started a calamity of events in David’s life.
1. David sleeps with a woman that is not his wife
2. She becomes pregnant
3. He arranges for Uriah (Bathsheba’s husband) to come home and give a report on the battles. David encourages Uriah to be with his wife while he is home. Uriah refused to do so because his men were still in battle.
4. The plan fails so David sends Uriah into the heaviest fighting in hopes he will be killed
5. Uriah is killed. Bathsheba mourns. David takes her for his wife.
6. Baby is born
7. Prophet calls David out on his sins. He lost his other wives to someone close to him. The Lord told him the baby from Bathsheba would die and it was so.
Look how one decision caused so much heartache for other people. Two lives were lost, Bathsheba became a widow, the captain of the army was an accessory to Uriah’s death, and the list continues. This is a reminder that choices you make everyday not only matter to you, but to those around you. I can’t say enough about decisions parent’s make can either scar or encourage their children for years to come. The bottom line is you have to be in the presence of God. Although your life might not be going as planned, trust God to help you not war against yourself, but trust Him. Which leads me to another quote someone posted, “Life is what happens while you are busy making plans.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 16:2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the Lord weighs the motives.
Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.