The Battle Inside | Denise Hunter

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

“My son,” he said. “There is inside us all, a battle between two ‘wolves’. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

“The other wolf is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

This Native American legend could easily represent the Christian struggle between the flesh and the spirit.

We feed the fleshly wolf by: dwelling on sinful thoughts; reading books, watching movies, or listening music that draw us toward unChristlike things; seeking close companionship with unGodly people; entertaining a spirit of ungratefulness; focusing on self and selfish desires.

We feed the spiritual wolf by: spending time in God’s word; fostering relationships with Godly people; having a rich prayer life; reading books, watching movies, and listening to music that encourage a Godly lifestyle; striving to keep our thoughts pure, focusing on others instead of ourselves; having a spirit of gratitude.

Not only will we find ourselves living more abundantly by feeding the spiritual wolf and starving the fleshly one, but we’ll also be more joyful, more pleasant to be with, and be a better witness for Christ.

We’re always feeding one of the wolves. Which one are you feeding?

Denise Hunter lives in Indiana with her husband Kevin and their three sons. In 1996, Denise began her first book, a Christian romance novel, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she’s been writing ever since. Her books often contain a strong romantic element, and her husband Kevin says he provides all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!