The Whole Armor of God

Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord, your salvation according to your promise. Then I shall have an answer for those who taunt me, for I trust in your word.

Psalm 119:41-42 

Have you ever been bullied?  My youngest daughter was bullied in high school by the “mean girls”. As her Mother, I was so sad for her but there was little we could do but finish out the year and change schools. Thankfully, she thrived at her new school and made many good friends.

Years later, I was bullied at work. I thought I knew how being bullied could make you feel from my daughter’s experience, but facing it firsthand is altogether a different thing. I didn’t even realize what was actually happening to me until I sought outside counseling for the situation. My counselor identified the behavior immediately as bullying. Along with providing practical ways that I could react more favorably on a day-to-day basis with the bully, she recommended that I resign from my position. Unfortunately, I was not in a financial situation where I could simply quit my job and walk away.

My solution was to turn to God for my salvation and trust in his promises. Every day, before I got out of the car at work, I prayed Ephesians 6:10-18, starting with - Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Was it easy? No! But knowing that I had on the whole armor of God helped me stand against the bully until I was able to resign on my own terms.

God, we thank you for your salvation and your promise to protect us. When we are facing difficulty, help us to reach out to you -  and you alone - for refuge. And remind us that your Holy Scriptures are there to guide us daily to make better decisions that are in accordance with your will. Amen.