Welcome to The River, the blog of DarrenStott.com
There’s a difference between fighting a war and picking a fight.
Too often, what gets labeled “spiritual warfare” is nothing more than a jolt of caffeine, a hit of dopamine, and a random burst of emotion disguised as strategy. We call it warfare, but it’s not. It’s noise. It’s lashing out. It’s babbling in battle gear.
It’s the kid who kicks the bully in the shin and sprints away—because there’s no plan to stand, no commitment to see it through, no positioning to actually win.
The problem with this approach? It may feel bold, but it’s mostly reaction. It doesn’t build. It doesn’t reclaim. It doesn’t last.
This article challenges the cultural obsession with affirmation as the path to healing, arguing instead that true joy begins with truth—not comfort. It explores how grace-fueled transformation starts with conviction, confession, and repentance, not denial or flattery. Rooted in the gospel, it reminds us that while tears may come first, they are the seeds of a deeper joy only Christ can bring. Transformation isn’t achieved—it’s received. And joy, in the end, is not manufactured but harvested through surrender.
Most of us are great at making commitments.
We commit to eating clean.
To going to the gym.
To being nicer to our spouse.
To getting serious about God.
And then… life happens.
You get tired.
You get offended.
You get distracted.
And just like that, your commitment is out the window.
You know why?
Because commitment isn’t the same as covenant.