So What's Your Shield Like Today?

You know it's true. You have a shield and you're supposed to be using it! Is it ready to use? So why not?
I can hear it now, "what shield?" The shield of FAITH! (Ephesians 6:16) What are you supposed to do with it? Extinguish the fiery arrows of the enemy. Where'd the shield come from? Not you, not your own strength, faith is God's gift to you--He gives you the faith to believe in Him! (Ephesians 2:8) Are you supposed to care for and nurture that faith to make it a ready shield? You bet you are! When Paul writes about the shield of faith in Ephesians, his mind is conjuring up an image of an object that has been covered with leather, which needs to be wet to be effective, so is soaked in water so that literal flaming arrows that are being fired can be blocked and put out. This object was given to the soldier by the country that he was fighting for, but the soldier was expected to maintain it and have it ready for use at any moment.
So, done anything "big" for God lately? Feeling attacked and beaten down? Why? What's going on with your faith that is making that thing so rough to go through? Christians often talk about the "valley" after a "mountain top" experience. They feel exposed and alone. We're not alone, we're not exposed. We have our faith to get us through--it may be a bit shaken, it may have a few dry spots that allow an arrow or two to get through--but it is still there, because no matter what, God won't strip you of your faith.
Sure, soak it, cry your heart out, let God know what is getting to you, but ask him to work through the faith He's given you to hold your ground and not fall. Sometimes soldiers slept under their shields--yeah, some were that big. That's where I want to be, under a shield of faith so big that I can sleep under it and be confident that in the morning I will wake unharmed and ready to fight again.