Paper Cuts & Whack-A-Mole

Paper cuts can hurt like the dickens!

Paper cuts hurt.

It's amazing how something so small—barely visible to the eye—can sting with relentless determination. A tiny slice in your skin somehow manages to demand all of your attention. You wash your hands and suddenly you're reminded it exists. You reach for your keys...there it is again. You cut an onion...surprise! That little cut has something to say.

Lately I've been experiencing what I call life-sized paper cuts.

Almost before I can put ice on one situation and cover it with a Band-Aid, another one appears.

Maybe your life has felt less like a peaceful walk in the park and more like a round of Whac-A-Mole.

You know the game. It's usually found at carnivals or church bazaars. You're given a giant stick and told to whack the furry little moles as they pop out of random holes. Just when you finally knock one back down, two more pop up.

Some seasons of life feel exactly like that.

Before you can deal with one problem, another appears. Before you recover from one disappointment, another phone call comes. Before you catch your breath, another furry little mole pops up to test your patience.

Jesus understood that life would feel this way at times.

In John 16:33, He told us that in this world we would have trouble. But He didn't stop there. He also reminded us to take courage because He has already overcome the world.

I've had to cling tightly to that promise lately.

I've shared in previous articles that I've become serious about strength training. I'm part of a women's fitness group that meets four mornings a week. Women of all ages, backgrounds, and fitness levels gather together to become stronger.

I've exercised since I was nineteen years old, but strength training is a new adventure—and I absolutely love it.

Unfortunately...my body apparently decided this was also the perfect season to audition for a role in a hospital tv show.

First, it was my left knee.

Lower-body workouts became difficult. Running and jumping were out of the question. Even

Post workout selfie.

modified exercises sometimes left my knee swollen to what felt like the size of a cantaloupe.

I visited doctors, searched the internet, consulted ChatGPT, laid hands on my knee, anointed it with oil, rested it, prayed over it, and then prayed some more.

It wasn't life-threatening, but it was incredibly frustrating. Every setback interrupted my momentum. And if you're anything like me, you know momentum is a beautiful thing. When I set a goal, I don't like moving backward.

That knee became one of those annoying paper cuts that constantly whispered, "Maybe you should just quit."

Then came my right shoulder.

One exercise left it aching for weeks. I was convinced I had torn my rotator cuff. Again, I prayed. Friends prayed. I waited for healing.

Then came my lower back.

Let's just say I discovered there is a right way and a very wrong way to perform a deadlift.

Another stupid furry mole.

Another irritating paper cut.

Another interruption to my plans of building muscle and losing body fat.

Ugh.

Just as those injuries began to heal, my mother suffered two strokes while we were traveling.

That wasn't a paper cut.

That felt like a knife wound.

Watching someone you love fight for their health changes you. It reminds you how fragile life can be and how desperately we need God's strength.

As I reflected on everything that had happened, I realized something:

The enemy doesn't always try to destroy us with one catastrophic event.

Sometimes he simply sends enough paper cuts to wear us down.

Enough inconveniences.

Enough delays.

Enough frustrations.

Enough disappointments.

Enough interruptions.

Not because each one is devastating by itself—but because together they slowly edge away at our endurance.

That's when it hit me.

Satan wasn't just attacking my circumstances.

He was trying to exhaust me.

If he couldn't stop God's plan for my life, maybe he could convince me to stop pursuing it myself.

Sometimes life is like a game of Whack-A-Mole

Maybe that's exactly where you find yourself today.

Perhaps your paper cuts don't look like gym injuries.

Maybe you've finally started paying off debt, only to have an unexpected car repair empty your savings account.

Maybe your marriage is going through a difficult season.

Maybe you're praying for a prodigal child.

Maybe you're dealing with a health diagnosis you never expected.

Maybe doors keep closing when you thought God was about to open one.

Maybe you've prayed the same prayer for years and wonder if heaven is still listening.

Whatever form they take, those ugly little moles and painful paper cuts all whisper the same lie:

"Maybe you should just give up."

But that's exactly why Ephesians 6 tells us to put on the full armor of God and to stand firm.

I've realized I don't just need God's armor when I'm preaching, teaching Bible studies, or serving in ministry.

I need it when I walk into the gym.

I need it when I wake up in the morning.

I need it when I'm sitting in a doctor's office.

I need it when unexpected bills arrive.

I need it when discouragement tries to settle into my heart.

The armor of God isn't reserved for dramatic spiritual battles.

It's for ordinary Tuesdays.

It's for swollen cantaloupe sized knees.

It's for difficult phone calls.

It's for delayed dreams.

It's for life sized paper cuts.

Satan wants us to mistake a delay for defeat.

He would love for one paper cut after another to convince us that the journey isn't worth

finishing.

Don't believe his lies.

God has not changed His mind about the purpose He placed inside of us.

So keep praying.

Keep trusting.

Keep showing up.

Keep swinging at those furry little, ugly moles.

One day you'll look back and realize the paper cuts healed. The moles stopped popping up. The obstacles that once seemed so overwhelming are now testimonies of God's faithfulness. And through every interruption, every setback, every delay, God was strengthening something far more important than your circumstances—He was strengthening your endurance.

Hi, my name is Kacie Starr Long. I am an author, and speaker and I love to use my voice to point people to Jesus. When I'm not writing, I'm either hanging out with my husband or sewing. God delivered me from food addiction and I have a sewing ministry, called the Sew Hope . I am the proud wife of Alfred T. Long, Sr and together we lead a non-profit that provides services for those battling substance abuse and those impacted by incarceration. Connect with me at www.InspiredOverflow.com and via my YouTube page for Christian teachings and encouragement.

PS Friends: I've recently published a NEW book called War On the Floor. This book is for those with a loved one who is deep in addiction. It's a collection of prayers to help you remain focused and strengthened as you believe God for breakthrough. There is truly power in prayer! Order your copy today.