In his book Through the Eyes of a Lion, Levi Lusko shares the following:

 

The fact that lionesses do not have a big, recognizable mane helps them sneak up on whatever they are hunting. They lie in wait, hidden in the tall grass, motionless like statues. The males do play a significant, albeit small, role. While the females stalk their prey from behind, the king of the jungle will come from the front and let loose one of those roars that gives him his spot at the top of the food chain. This sound is so powerful it can be heard from up to five miles away. Hearing that terrifying noise causes gazelles to run as far away from whatever made that sound. What they don’t realize, as scary as it sounded, the one who did the roaring is more bark than bite. So away they go — directly into the path of the real threat: the waiting lioness! In other words, the prey’s instincts are wrong. Going with their guts causes them to make the last mistake of their short, little lives. It’s counterintuitive, but the right choice would be to override their emotions and run toward the roar.

 

If you’re like most, in a big way or small, you may feel a lot like a gazelle, thrown into a state of confusion by recent roars confronting you from every direction. Your roars may sound like this:

 

FEAR: What lies ahead for me?

 

WORRY: How will my predicament play out?

 

CONFUSION: Lord, why are you allowing this to happen to me?

 

It’s hard to maintain your bearings in such situations; you become disoriented, out of sorts, and unable to shake an intense yearning to take off running. Where precisely to, who knows. You just want to run.

 

Thankfully there are better options. I’ve listed three I WILL! statements below to help you brace for what lies ahead. You’ll notice I wrote them in the first person. I did this to emphasize what you must do individually, not just in a collective sense. The three statements are: I WILL! Stand My Ground; I WILL! Be on The Alert; I WILL! Remember Who Is on My Side.

 

I WILL! Stand My Ground

 

In these most difficult of times, the odds are strong that additional ‘roars’ will enter my world shortly, so I shouldn’t be surprised when they arrive: Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you. (1st Peter 4:12) Seeing that the fastest human on earth, Usain Bolt, tops out at 27.79 miles per hour and a lion runs 50 miles per hour, it would be futile to flee. Roars simply cannot be outrun. Proverbs 28:1 teaches the wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion. I will therefore be brave and cede no territory.

 

The Lord’s commission to me is ultra-clear: rather than fleeing from the enemy’s roar in whatever form it comes, I must stand my ground, and he will flee from me: Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7) Throughout my lifetime I’ve noticed how opting for the path of least resistance invariably leads to dead ends, which is the worst place to find myself with no way out. One way or another, I’ll have to face the roaring head-on, so I might as well gain momentum by running directly toward it early. As Winston Churchill put it, One ought never to turn one’s back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half. Never run away from anything. Never!

 

I WILL! Be on The Alert

 

In these more difficult times, I’ve gained a greater sense of alertness. For instance, I’ve been alerted to the fact that roars I never thought existed exist, and that institutions I assumed were stable are not as secure as I once believed. The element of surprise that previously caught me off guard, I’ve grown wise to. I can now readily identify the distinct tones certain roars make (the most ferocious in my lifetime) and the harm they’re able to inflict. When the next round of roars comes, and they most certainly will come, I’m better positioned, as Saint Peter cautions, to Be on the alert! Knowing your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. (1st Peter 5:8-10)

 

I WILL! Remember Who Is on My Side

 

Even in the most difficult times, no matter how ferocious the roar I’m confronted with, whether financial, relational, physical, or other, I must never forget Who is on my side and to Whom belongs the victory. It is Christ Jesus who tells me: In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world! Therefore, I have no choice but to Stand My Ground, Be on The Alert, and Remember Who Is on My Side!