To the Ends of the Earth: Character – Catholic Men’s Devotionals, Week 4 – The Fighter

But as for you, man of God, shun all this; aim at righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the presence of God who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; and this will be made manifest at the proper time by the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

1 Timothy 6:11–16

Are we ready to take on the world as witnesses for Christ? Are we carrying out a regular, consistent, and comprehensive spiritual “training program” in order to fight the good fight? We may like to think that life with Christ should be easy, but that is not what Jesus promised us. Instead, he commanded us to take up our cross and follow him (Mt 16:24–26), and to be prepared to lose our life in order to save it. He told us that he did not come to bring peace but rather a sword (Mt 10:34).

There is nothing “easy” about that.

Men of God see the Christian life as a challenge to face with faith, a holy conditioning program that prepares us to contend with the struggles of life and face them head on. Moreover, we meet our challenges with an expectation of the inexpressible joy God promises us. Like athletes running a race, cheered on by a host of celestial witnesses, we are energized by our trials and tribulations because they train us up in the way of our faith.

Competing well for the Faith changes our lives and the lives of everyone around us. This week, we will focus on five key ways fighting the good fight transforms us and our world:

1.  We don’t sweat the little things.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told us not to worry about what we are to eat or wear, but to consider the birds of the air and the flowers of the field and yield to the perfect will of the Father (Mt 6:25–34). God cares about every little detail of his world, and that includes the many things that cause us concern. Peace comes when we seek his kingdom first, knowing he has all our needs under control.

2.  We live the example of Christ in all we do.
Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection set the pattern for our lives on this earth. He lived perfectly. He walked the road to his crucifixion perfectly, offering his life on our behalf. His words and deeds are the purest testimony of God’s love for sinful man. This reality should cause us to drop to our knees in awe and wonder. As Christians, we are invited to walk the same road toward heaven, following in the steps of our blessed Savior.

3.  We join with the Body of Christ and build one another up.
As we fight the good fight, we become more keenly aware of the part we play in Christ’s Body. Our striving to live Christian lives connects us to our brothers and sisters in the Church, and to the Church’s mission throughout the world. As the Church shapes us, we are better able to minister to those who share in our walk of faith.

4.   We endure, we build character, and we hope.
Our trials condition us to persevere. As we continue to run the race in spite of them, we form proven character and discover the hope that points us to heaven. As we strengthen our spiritual muscles, we become rock-solid men able to walk the road to perfection with others who are lost and seeking the Savior.

5.  We look forward to a kingdom of light and love.
As we become better trained in our faith, it gets easier to keep the commands of God and live free from sin as we wait for the Second Coming of the Lord. Our souls are being fashioned for the beauty and perfection of heaven, where we will stand in the pure light of Jesus, the One who brought us salvation and who deserves all the honor and glory.

A Call to Action
When we fight the good fight of faith, we discover a joy that permeates all that we are and all that we do. This week, see yourself as a holy soldier, totally committed to the cause of Christ. Look for ways to become more passionate about living a life of faithful service to God. As you face challenges this week, meet them head-on with faith, trusting that the One who has set us free through the cross will strengthen you and equip you to carry out your call to love as Christ has loved you.

You can learn more about the To the Ends of the Earth devotionals HERE