Reason to Fight

Romans 8:18
Psalm 144

At a conference recently, after a song celebrating God's victory in battle, the leader (a man) asked if some women would tell how we respond or think about such songs. He knew how the song affected him as a man, but guessed that it affects women differently. Although I didn't go up to give my response, for me it is important to have something to fight for. I'm not interested in fighting a war for the war's sake or for glory. But if my children were endangered and I needed to fight to protect them, I would no longer be concerned with the dangers of the battle. I would willingly and gladly fight then, no matter what the cost may be.
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I don't know all that is to come at the end of this world. I don't know fully what the glory is that Paul is referring to. But having seen the Lord's faithfulness in many situations I am certain as Paul is that the glory is worth fighting for and worth suffering for. God has given us hints throughout the New Testament: "many mansions", Stephen's vision, many references in the book of Revelation. The fullness of the reward is still hidden and the suffering is not but I can still endure the suffering and the battles by holding onto the promise as the reason I fight and the reason I endure.