trained for battle

"Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war;"

This is verse one from Psalm 144 and it is a verse I know to be true. The training, personally, has been every tragedy, crisis, circumstance of suffering, and disappointment, over the last ten plus years. The enemy thought these to be opportunities to blindside me, and take me out at the knees...out of the arena...shut me down. But God. He used it all for good. In His hands, every tragedy, crisis, circumstance of suffering, and disappointment, was another piece of my armor. I am stronger, not weaker, because of my life's experiences.

And this is the choice we have. Today. Right now. Always.

We do not get to choose our seasons of suffering, but we do get to choose how we respond.