Hannah Rowen FryWhen an arrow pierces its target, it hurts more than just the surface. Pulling it out becomes even more damaging than the initial impact. The skin and whatever organs are immediately behind it are wounded beyond repair.
The front of the tip is not the most dangerous part of the arrow. The front makes a clean cut, and if this was the primary injury, only a few stitches would be needed to recover. Assuming there was no infection, the area would be left with a scar and otherwise unchanged after healing. But arrows are much more deadly, not because of the tip but because of what comes after.
The back catches after it goes in, macerating what was a clean cut, turning it from a simple laceration into a deadly wound. Any hope of repair is destroyed as this damage takes place. Healing is possible, but only with more extreme measures such as transplant or removal of the affected area altogether.
Paul speaks of a spiritual battleground in Ephesians 6:10-18. Satan shoots his flaming arrows at us, and we can protect ourselves from them with a shield of faith. This battle is real. We fight an enemy who is actively working to steal, kill, and destroy us. His arrows may not be physical, but the impact of his weapons are just as harmful to our mind, body, and soul as arrows would be.
Paul mentions the weapons we yield and the armor we wear as tools we can use for spiritual battles. The shield - our faith - actually diminishes the work of evil. God is fighting for us, but faith is our responsibility in this fight. As we grow in our faith, we grow in our protection.
By the grace of God, healing and redemption is possible if the arrows pierce us, causing pain, and leaving scars. But perhaps the fire that’s meant to destroy can actually cauterize the wound? For the moments we are struck when our shield is down, not all hope is lost. Healing can still come, and instead of bleeding out, we can be restored.
We can win the battle. In fact, Jesus already did. If our shields fail us, the Great Physician won’t.
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