Nothing has impacted my life more than the presence of God. A strong undercurrent of his faith runs through my being and his word has been both refuge and strength.
Among the many bible scriptures, Psalm 144:1 is especially dear to me. As a professional mixed martial artist, it certainly struck a chord but spiritually this verse resonated even deeper.
Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.
Psalm 144, A Psalm of David talks about prayer and worship regarding the seasons of war and peace. As a warring king, David fought to keep the kingdom of Israel safe from enemies.
By the grace and power of God, David was victorious in his many battles. David knew it was the courage and strength that God had imbued in him which allowed him to subdue his foes.
Just as he stood bravely across from Goliath, David placed his faith in God. It was the Lord who guided his hand that released the stone which felled the giant.
In life, we are faced with many trials and tribulations, big and small which the Lord will test us with.
I seek to emulate David’s warrior spirit as I confront my battles in life. Yet I recognize that even as a king, David sought God’s help and instruction.
It is a tacit acknowledgement that my worth and being is only possible with God. That I am the vessel upon which he will use to get victory and the credit should belong to him.
Whenever I entered the cage alone to face my opponent, I knew I was never alone. God was watching over me and guiding me. All the times I called upon him for strength, he led me to victory.
I believe that God had set me on this path and watched over me since. Otherwise, it’s really hard to explain how a waifish third stringer on the high school football team like myself could end up being a World Champion in combat sports.
Outside the cage, whether it’s in school, the weight room or at work, life is very much a fight. Each of us face the same eternal struggle – our race against time.
Every opportunity to fight and prevail in our battles is a chance to honor God.
I have fully embraced the Lord’s presence in my life and therefore in my battles, there is reasonable expectation that I will do them justice.