"Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. . .You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you" (2 Chronicles 20:15, 17).

With God and the good angels on our side, we do not need to worry about the vast army of troubles and evils in this world. As for safety and courage in numbers, history proves that it is the crowd which degenerates into chaos, so God wants us to trust in One. If life's battles are not with the humanly strong (Ecclesiastes 9:11), then surely they are not with the irresponsible multitudes. The battle is God's and the victory is His. We are only to stand firm and expect His goodness. "They also serve who only stand and wait" (John Milton).

This particular text also embraces those undergoing severe temptations; those who work for the good of humankind; and those who are discouraged because of the inequities of life. We can't possibly defend everyone and everything in our own strength. We aren't supposed to, for only God knows the end from the beginning, and He has ordained that others' lives are to experience Divine discipline, as well. "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). How difficult this is, when we are inclined to run ahead and fight God's battles for Him.

We are to commit to the Lord whatever we do (Proverbs 16:3). This especially includes our "conflicts on the outside, fears within" (2 Corinthians 5). Life is perforated with dichotomies, and one of these is the insufficiency of the known and the all-sufficiency of the unknown. We don't need to take up a sword against what we do not understand. "Now faith is being. . .certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1), and this includes the outcome of the incidents of our lives.