In your childhood or young adult years you have probably played a game of tug-of-war. We know the goal of tug-of-war is to keep tugging the rope with your team until one side passes the centerline. During the game, there are moments of deep resistance that you will experience as you are pulling the rope. The intention is to keep pulling until the game is over. You give it your all, even in the face of opposition. You learn to push through the resistance, even though the outcome may or may not be what you anticipated. In our daily lives, we will encounter resistance, especially when we are walking in the pursuit and purpose of God. Just like the game of tug-of-war, we must not give in to the fear and pressure of the pull. God is not changing His plans for you based on the pushback you are feeling. We often question whether or not something is from God because we are in the middle of feeling the pain of the rope being tugged away from us. The uncomfortable does not mean it is not from God. The inconvenience does not mean it is not from God. Do not allow the resistance to cause you stagnancy or to waver, because you are enduring the battle grounds. Often times our resistance is exactly what God is using to execute His will in you. Grip the rope and keep pulling.
The reality of tug-of-war is that it is extremely exhausting. The resistance can leave you weary— physically, mentally and spiritually drained from the constant pulling in the midst of struggle. You do not have to experience the tug alone. God is with you. God will gently pickup the rope with you and graciously help pull the weight. He is right beside you in your struggle to preserve. You are where you need to be in this very moment. You are doing exactly what you should be doing. The resistance you are feeling is part of the purpose. You will have to stretch everything you know to move in a mighty direction with God. You will have to step out of your confined space in order to see all that God is doing. You may even have to switch positions to grab hold of a new part of the rope. As we walk with God the resistance becomes a quiet force. We learn to embrace the unknown.
The rope that you are pulling everyday represents your faith. What if Moses stopped pulling the rope because the Israelites were uncomfortable and disgruntled? What if Noah stop pulling the rope because of the giant purpose he was tasked with? These stories would have had a drastically different outcome than what God had anticipated. What you are pulling in the season is tied to the kingdom of God. The tug is in your favor. God is working and moving in the promises for you. When resistance happens, let it be an opportunity for God to show up with you in the pull. You may have to reposition your stance in the middle of the game. You may need to grip the rope a little tighter. You may have to exert strength you have never seen before. The tension of the pull will eventually lessen. The strain will cause less friction in due time. The resistance will loosen its grasp. Steward the rope that lies in front you in this season. The future and the outcome of the war belongs to Jesus. Keep pulling despite the resistance. Every tug is pulling you toward the finishing point.
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” -Galatians 6:9