The very term "Iraq" has become synonymous with good intentions gone astray. By now most of us wish the Iraq war would either get solved overnight or silently go away.

But the outcome will likely be far more complicated and different than we would hope. When wars "go south" and body counts rise and money is gobbled up with no end in sight - it is then that everybody becomes an expert for at least 15 minutes on what to do next.

Talking about "next," the United States and a concerned global community are anxiously waiting on the upcoming appraisal by U.S. General Petraeus in mid-September on how "The Surge" is going - that is, really going? The "surge" is basically the last ditch effort by the United States to "put enough boots on the ground" to afford some "breathing room" for the Iraqi politicians to deal with the big political roadblocks that have frustrated any opportunity for true national unity beyond diplomatic theory.

The general feel by the American public is that the surge is making some incremental progress in noticeable ways. But what took it so long to get here? Why didn't we do this from the beginning? Even if the military surge is seemingly working, now, why don't we see a corresponding "political surge" from the Iraqi government? Most importantly how long can the surge and the dedicated sacrifice of the troops be sustained based upon reasonable troop deployment, funding by armchair generals in the U.S. Congress, and the war-weary American public? To say the least, it's crunch time on both the Potomac and the Tigris.

But bear with me! Allow me to leave the realm of geo-politics and the sands of the Middle East and go to a little meddlin' by simply asking, "how's your surge going?"

Yes, yours, not Bush's. Oh yes, we have our own little personal battles, conflicts and - at times - all out wars of the mind, heart and soul that go on and on, year in and year out. The battle may be with our weight, our health, our job, our finances, our mates, our extended families, our ... well you fill in the blank.

Like the situation in Iraq, you had and have the best of intentions! But the more you push in one area the worse it becomes in another. Finally, you decide to create your own surge of action and energy to snatch victory out of the grinding jaws of defeat.

But how long will your surge last this time? Remember the last round? Was it one, two or three months? And then, just like all the times before, you threw in your chips. Perhaps it was because a corresponding spiritual surge was not accompanying what you sincerely were striving to accomplish by surging only at the physical, mental and emotional level.
 
How often are our efforts, when we simply try to stay on the track of "mind over matter" as we attempt to reprogram ourselves, merely an exercise in futility? How often do we simply snip at the twigs of life rather than deal with the trunk of the tree by attacking the underlying causes that have created the havoc we wish to eliminate?

It is our nature to seek quick and painless victories in life, rather than confront head-on the real issues that cause our frustrations. We have many temporary "surges" but fewer clear cut victories.

God has something to say about surges - surges that produce lasting results. He plainly reveals in Zechariah 4:6 that it is "not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit" that victories over personal stalemates may be accomplished. God implores us to recognize that any enduring success depends on His involvement in our life.

Oh yes, God expects us to roll up our sleeves and do our part. But if we don't learn to correspondingly allow Him to enter our life's equation we will keep on coming up with big, fat zeros on the scoreboard of life.

Don't make the quagmire of Iraq your story! Choose to put into practice a way of life that won't later snap you back to failure and chaos. It's time to surge. But this time ... not alone!

Of course, to receive His generous guidance and divine assistance you must learn what God expects of you. To help you confidently move forward let me recommend two of our most important booklets. They explain how to secure a permanent interactive relationship with your Creator.

You may download, request printed copies or simply read online these two free and informative booklets: Making Life Work! and Transforming Your Life - the Process of Conversion. It's your move!