It is when you're in the heat of the battle that you must hold on to your own beliefs and not give up. Most people know this, or they have heard someone else who has gone through the heat successfully speak of it, but remarkably few think about the meaning of the words, the heat of the battle, which I equate to going through the fire, on your journey until the fire stands before them.
Fire burns–– It hurts and the pain increases. The way unknown as it is becomes precarious. You wonder if you have made a mistake listening to the inner voice within your spirit. You asked yourself how did you get yourself into such a mess by following your dream. You thought you had everything under control until the unexpected happens. And all the while you are questioning your decision, the fire keeps moving toward you––the battle rages.
Fire burns – You let your mind wander as you are being encircled by the fire and the way things were, and you begin to think the past was not so dreadful after all; the boredom forgotten in the job you were doing, the past looks lucrative; the desire to turn around and go back tempt you. Some people do turn back only to find the bridges no longer exist; others find the bridges have remained, but the people they once knew have become mockers. You see, they mock them, because they did not go through the fire. They turned around–– in the heat of the raging battle.
Fire burns – You're standing in the middle of the circle of this terrible fire. You are surrounded. There are mountains around you blocking your way, and the fire is moving towards you. The circle gets smaller and smaller. The fear of failure calls your name out, the fear of loss hunts you, and the fear of the loss of your own dignity stalks you, and you feel as if you are the only biggest fool in the world––the battle rages.
Fire burns – You stand there. Soon you are overtaken, and you know this is it. There is no way to avoid the fire now. You have waited until it is too late. You can no longer escape. Surrounded by the fire, you gather up the last little bit of courage as the flames reach out for you. Driven by fear, you stretch out your hands and embrace the flames expecting this to be your last action––in the heat of the raging battle.
Fire cleanses- Your shackles of doubt, fear of loss, fear of failure and loss of your own dignity burn. They dissipate into the flames of the fire, and within the fire, you begin to dance. The hindrances, which held you back, no longer bind you. Instead of going under, you find yourself being emancipated––the battle is won!
The fire that burns has set you free!
It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. (1 Corinthians 3:15b, NIV 1984)
Shalom,
Pat Garcia
