Resistance and Surrender

Resistance and Surrender…

In the beginning of WWII, the French defensive lines collapsed. A war hero from WWI, Marshall Pétain, became Prime Minister, surrendered to the Nazis, and led a collaborationist government.

Convinced that Germany had won the war, the government saw its mission as that of adapting France towards submission to Hitler. Thus, they began rounding up Jews to be sent to the concentration camps.

The Nazis increasingly drained France of its natural resources and its people. By November of 1942, the Vichy government was nothing but a puppet regime of the Nazis. When the war was over, the collaborators were put to shame.

The judgment of their nation and their history fell against them. Pétain, once a national hero, was put in prison where he died. This is a powerful lesson: there is no compromise or collaborating with the enemy no matter what it looks like or how hopeless it seems. Resist sin, resist temptation, resist evil, and it will flee.

Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 1 Peter 5:9

Is there any area of your life where you’re collaborating with the enemy?  Where are you making compromises that chip away at your integrity, your values, or your faith?  Perhaps it’s a small compromise, a seemingly insignificant bending of the rules.  But like the Vichy government, these small compromises can pave the way for larger surrenders. Today choose to resist. 

Choose the difficult path of integrity, even when it seems hopeless.  Remember the words of 1 Peter 5:9: “Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.” You are not alone in this struggle.

Lord, I confess that there are times when I compromise, when I collaborate with the “enemy” – whether it’s the temptation to cut corners, to gossip, to prioritize my comfort over doing what is right, or to give in to despair.  I see the example of those who resisted even in the face of overwhelming odds, and I ask for the strength to do the same.  Help me to recognize the areas where I am falling short, where I am making excuses for my weakness.  Give me the courage to stand firm in my faith, to resist the temptations that pull me away from you.  Help me to fight the good fight, knowing that with you, victory is assured.  Amen.

Fight the good fight, and you will win in the end. Viva la resistance!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼