THE STRUGGLE IS REAL BY: Brother Marcus Chambers
It’s a question I’ve asked myself more times than I can count. Why is it so hard to let go of the world when we know we’re called to live apart from it? I’ve felt that pull, the fight between what I know is right and what my flesh craves. I’ve had days where I wanted to live for God with everything in me, and nights where I wrestled with the same temptations I thought I’d buried long ago. Maybe you’ve been there too. You try to walk with God, but the noise of life keeps pulling at you. The world looks so full of pleasure, and sometimes you wonder if all this fighting is even worth it. You see others living freely, laughing, posting their best moments, and you ask yourself, “Am I missing out?”
But we both know the truth we’re not missing out. We’re being refined. We are in a battle not of flesh and blood, but of spirit and purpose. Life was never meant to be easy. The Apostle Paul said, “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.”
Galatians 5:17
This struggle is real for me. It’s real for you. But it’s shaping us into who God called us to be.
The War Within
I’ve come to learn that every day I wake up, I’m stepping onto a battlefield. Some days I win. Other days I fall flat on my face. But by God’s grace, I get up again. You might feel the same, tired, maybe even ashamed of how many times you’ve stumbled. But friend, we’re not fighting alone. Every believer is in this war between flesh and Spirit. When we lean into the Spirit, we’re reminded that eternity is planted in our hearts. (Ecclesiastes 3:11) It’s not about perfection, it’s about persistence. The more I learn about God’s mercy, the more I realize holiness isn’t about what I can do. It’s about what He’s already done. You might try to fix yourself by setting rules or cutting things off and yes, that’s wise but real change happens when we surrender. It’s not about saying, I’ll try harder. It’s about saying, God, I need You more. Sin will never become gross to you if you don’t have a bigger view of God and what He’s done for you on Calvary. We can spend our whole lives running fleeing from sin but if we don’t fix our gaze on Jesus, what’s the point?
I found myself at times doing just that cutting things off, avoiding certain places, trying to escape temptation but not fixing my eyes on Christ. Not going deeper in the Word to know more about the One who saved me. Not growing in awe of Him. Has caused me to live in cycles. Because the truth is, freedom isn’t just found in what we turn away from, but in Who we turn toward. When we set our eyes on Jesus, sin begins to lose its beauty, and holiness starts to feel like peace.
The biggest fool isn’t the one who knows nothing; it’s the one who knows the truth and refuses to obey it. God doesn’t judge us based on ignorance but on resistance. The longer we delay surrender, the more we harden the heart that He’s trying to heal.
When God freed the Israelites from Egypt, they were no longer slaves, but their hearts still longed for Egypt. I’ve been there free but still thinking like I’m bound, still walking and worship as if the chains didn’t fall off. Maybe you’re there now. You know God pulled you out, but part of you misses the comfort of the old life. That’s okay to admit. The wilderness is where we learn to trust and depend on God. It’s in the wilderness where our character grows. And I know, The wilderness feels lonely, but it’s where God whispers, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." (Psalms 23:1) It’s where I learn to depend on You, God, until finally we walk together in step.
There were seasons when I ran from God. I didn’t want to face my fears, my past, or my calling. But then, like Jacob, I found myself wrestling with Him , wrestling between my way or His way.
Jacob wrestled with God because he was in desperate need of something only God could give. His life was marked by deceiving Esau and manipulating his father, and instead of facing Esau, he ran. His identity was wrapped in control. Jacob’s whole life was built around it. Sometimes there are things in our own lives that shape our identity, and we don’t even realize it until God isolates us and confronts us. Jacob was self-sufficient. But God had other plans for his life. God wanted to use him, but first, He had to break him. Not to destroy him, but to change him.
“And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.” Genesis 32:24 (ESV)
When God touched Jacob’s hip, dislocating it, Jacob realized in that moment that he could no longer rely on his own strength. When God dislocates or even separates you from what you believe is your anchor, what you think you need to survive, it’s not punishment; it’s mercy. In order for God to use you, He must first break you, not to cripple you, but to create dependence. Jacob’s limp was a symbol of that dependence on God. Maybe you’ve been there too, wrestling with questions, fears, or shame. You’re not the only one. God doesn’t fear your wrestling; He welcomes it.
Jacob’s deep hunger for the things of God wasn’t built around wealth, family, or the material things he had gained. It was built around a desire for change, and that only happens when we hold on to Him. “Then he said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.Genesis 32:28 (ESV)
God changed Jacob’s name from Jacob to Israel, which means He who struggles with God. It was a shift in identity, from heel-grabber to one who wrestles and prevails through surrender and obedience.
So when Jacob finally stopped running, God changed not just his name but his future. And that’s what happens to us when we stop fighting against God and start wrestling with Him. That’s where transformation begins when I learn to surrender, you realize He’s not against you, and together we find strength through obedience.
Wrestling with God is better than running from Him.
I had dreams for years that forced me to face my fears, always running, always being chased by my past. Until one day, God made it clear: I couldn’t run forever. He wanted me to stop, to face the pain, and to let Him heal it.
Maybe your dream isn’t the same, but the message is. God’s not asking you to run faster, He’s asking you to surrender deeper. When we do, peace begins to replace fear.
Grace on the Cross
The thief on the cross didn’t have time to prove himself. He didn’t perform, didn’t recite a prayer, didn’t fix his past. He just said, “Jesus, remember me.” That moment wrecks me every time. Because that’s me, broken, guilty, and desperate. And maybe that’s you too. But look at what Jesus did: He didn’t shame him. He didn’t ask for explanations. He said,“Today, you will be with Me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
That’s the heart of God. That’s grace. And that’s the HOPE we share.
It’s not about our works, it’s about our willingness to come humbly before Him and say, “Lord, remember me.”
The Waiting Season
I’ve realized most of my struggles come when I try to rush God’s plan. I wanted things to happen now, my purpose, my breakthrough, my fulfillment. Maybe you’ve felt that too and you see others moving ahead, and you wonder when it’ll finally be your turn. But God’s timeline is never late. Abraham waited twenty-five years for his promise. Moses spent forty years in the wilderness before stepping into his calling. If God could use them, He can use us, even in our waiting. The waiting season is not wasted. It’s where faith grows roots. And though it feels slow, we will see the promise if we don’t give up.
We’re not defined by how many times we fall but by how many times His grace lifts us up. Our generation craves speed, control, and clarity, but God offers patience, surrender, and faith. He’s not calling me to be perfect or you to be flawless; He’s calling us to trust Him together. Heaven is far greater than anything this world can offer. If we understood that, we wouldn’t cling so tightly to what’s fading. “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” 2 Corinthians 4:17
So yes, the struggle is real; but so is the victory!
God’s timing is perfect. His love is steady. And as long as me and you keep walking toward Him, we will make it home.