Feeling Conficted

Went to a ball game Tuesday evening. It was a ‘mites’ game. Used to be called ‘atoms’ when I was a kid, but then it used to be all boys too. This was a good mix of both girls and boys. And wow, those kids are good ball players! It was a lot of fun. Can’t remember when the last time was that I took time to do something like that.

It was a nice, cool, sunny, summer evening. The field was in excellent shape. The breeze kept all the flies away. Really nice. There was only one small problem – I knew kids on both teams. It was kind of a challenge to cheer for the pitcher and the batter at the same time! It is the feeling of being conflicted! Of course, it’s just a game, especially when it’s just kids that are playing. So, it’s ok to cheer for both sides. In fact, it’s kind of fun and puts everything into perspective.

In ‘real life’ however, we are all conflicted and it’s not so fun. The words of Paul from Romans 7 come to mind … “… for what I want to do I do not do but what I hate I do…” . Yeah, that sounds about right.

You’ve probably heard the story about the old Indian who said that it was like two dogs were fighting inside of him, a good one and a bad one. When asked which dog usually won, his response was “the one I feed”. The story is often used as an illustration to encourage people to ‘feed’ the impulses to do good and to ‘starve’ the others. It’s kind of a cool story and I think it makes a good point. The hard part about this is the doing of it. But it is pretty clear what we need to do.

But, what about those times when it’s not a choice between right and wrong, good or bad? What about when it’s two good things? That can also leave us feeling pretty conflicted. Well, Paul talks about that too. Take a look at what he wrote to the Philippians:

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.”

That is definitely one big conflict! Life here in this world, loving and serving God with His people, is good, no two ways about it. But, heaven will be ‘better by far’. So what to do? I think I’ll cheer for both sides. Make the most of life here but look forward to even better things in God’s timing. Either way, we win. That puts everything in perspective.