Life is full of battles, whether it be a controversy or struggle, a conflict between opposing forces, or actual combat. In military combat, you usually know who you are dealing with and on whose territory you are fighting. But in our day-to-day lives, we may have many a battle that's not so easily defined. There is the battle with the children over what they can or cannot do, the battle with the morning work traffic or the afternoon bus shuttle, or maybe a battle with the laborer who worked on your house and didn't do the job properly, but charged you an outrageous fee. And then there are those controversies we all find ourselves in the middle of from time to time. We never mean to be there, but somehow we are caught up in them.

God wants all our battles, but at times, we find it hard to give them up. It's human nature to want to do things on our own - not to have admit we can't handle something. We somehow think we are so good at fighting our battles, until we've fought and fought and nothing is settled. That's when we want to find another source to help us battle those troubles.

I Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Psalm 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Our struggles are really 'power struggles' - whether WE have the power to conquer our battles, or do we relinquish the battle to GOD and let him give us the POWER to cope with them.

Psalm 24:8 Who [is] this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle .

Psalm 140:7 O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle .

We should come to the place, when faced with any battle, no matter what it is, that we would always call upon the Lord, who says he will sustain us. God has never made a promise he will not keep. But he wants us to humble ourselves before him and ask for help. Don't feel afraid to call upon the Lord and ask what he wants you to do in situations you cannot control.You are his child, and a Father expects his children to ask for help.

James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Psalm 27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

When we are faced with these battles, we aren't really battling with flesh and blood but with the "principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places [Eph 6:12]. Therefore, we need to put on the whole armor of God so we will be able to stand in the day of trouble, and put our full trust in Him.

II Chronicles 20:15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle [is] not yours, but God's.

Heavenly Father, help me learn to call upon you during my times of trouble. Help me always be tuned to your voice so I know when you are speaking to me. Guide my footsteps that I might go down the right path, thereby avoiding the troubles that over take me from time to time. Teach me to rely more upon you, to trust you with my burdens and cares of this life. I will forever give you the praise, honor and glory due your name. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.