_{by Trent}
We know that our shield of faith extinguishes flaming arrows, but what about the ones that get through? In what way would anybody be pleased about the result of the enemies flaming arrows? Could there be a redemptive purpose for these attacks on our belief?

I believe that they are an important part of God's instruction and development of all those that are called. Flaming arrows expose vulnerabilities in our ...

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That is how many of us have vulnerabilities to attack.

Painful reoccurring episodes of hurt illustrate this. Maybe we are working on something and our spouse or friend says "Why did you do it that way?" All the sudden our emotions topple and we snap back ... "Hey, back-off, I am doing a fine job and I don't need your criticism?" Is that a tempered response? A bit overboard, eh?

That question is harmless, so why the reaction? There must have been pain and wounds set off ... perhaps the person has reactions criticism and the reaction proves that some kind of belief they held about the opinions of others that isn't protecting them from the pain of the attack. A belief exists that makes this person an easy target for this attack.

Look at another example, just thinking about her makes you wretch in pain. She didn't take your best friend, she just married into the family, but it reminds you of the competitive battle in childhood that you lost to a sibling or an ex-friend ... and left you on the out-side where you once belonged. All of those emotions rise up and the pain is made alive at the thought of a new competitor even if it is decades later. You are feeling the familiar pain harbored in vulnerable beliefs and it robs your joy.

What I am saying is this: turn and face the pain. Feel it and be made teachable by it. Pray and listen. Give yourself the permission to hear from the Lord Jesus exactly what He would want you to know about that pain, and how it affects you. When you hear from Jesus, it won't be a cold intellectual belief that protects you but a spiritual and experiential revelation ... powerful enough to withstand attack and extinguish arrows. He will whisper truth when you open up to Him and you will find a simple way around it and a powerful truth to replace the errors.

His sheep hear His voice, and we are always better to hearken to Him at the times we feel the worst, because that is where the enemy is stealing our joy. So, we don't drive the enemy back to stop the attack. We let the attack drive us to His preascense and on our knees ... and are given the truth to build up a mighty shield that protects us against a lifetime of similar attacks.