The Mighty Warrior Who Saves: How Chris Discovered God’s Delight in Him

Frank Wible
Aug 14
2 min read

Chris had always seen God as distant. He believed God was powerful, yes, but he pictured Him more as a stern judge than a loving Father. In Chris’s mind, God kept a record of all his mistakes, always slightly disappointed.

Man in a blue shirt sits pensively in a church pew, with colorful stained glass windows casting vibrant light patterns on the wood. — Chris believed God was distant — powerful, but never personal.

That belief came from years of criticism growing up. Nothing he did was ever quite enough, grades, sports, even the way he dressed. Somewhere along the way, Chris began to believe the lie that love had to be earned, even from God.

He still went to church, sang the songs, and read his Bible occasionally. But deep down, he thought God merely tolerated him. It was like being allowed in the room but never truly wanted there.

One Sunday morning, during a small group study, someone read Zephaniah 3:17. “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love, he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

The words hit Chris differently than anything he had heard before. God — a Mighty Warrior — not only saved him but delighted in him? And rejoiced over him with singing? That was not the God he thought he knew.

Chris went home and read the verse again and again. He started replacing “you” with his own name. “The Lord your God is with you, Chris. The Mighty Warrior who saves, Chris. He will take great delight in you, Chris.”

It felt awkward at first, almost too personal. But over the next few weeks, something began to shift. He started praying differently, not just asking for help but talking to God like someone who actually enjoyed His company.

He noticed his worship changed too. He sang louder, not to impress others, but because he believed the God he was singing to actually loved hearing his voice. It was like a relationship being rebuilt from the ground up.

Man sits relaxed on a porch, eyes closed, under a starry night sky. Warm porch light casts a cozy glow on his face. — I’m starting to believe You really do delight in me.

One night, while sitting on his back porch, Chris whispered, “God, I’m starting to believe You really do delight in me.” And in that stillness, he felt a peace he couldn’t explain, not because life was perfect, but because he finally knew he was wanted.

Months later, Chris began mentoring younger men in the church. When they struggled with shame or self-worth, he would tell them, “God isn’t just putting up with you. He’s singing over you.”

Chris still keeps Zephaniah 3:17 written on an index card in his Bible. It’s not just a verse to him anymore. It’s the truth that replaced a lifetime of lies.

Which part of Zephaniah 3:17 speaks to you most?