What the Christian Response Reveals in Tumultuous Times
“We win!” These are the words I continue to hear from the mouths and fingertips of christians in this volatile political and social season.
What does that mean? What should we be saying?
Are we fighting on the right side of the battle lines? Are we fighting with or against God?
God began showing me what winning looks like. It doesn’t look like the American dream, an easy life, or the “right” political leader (as if one exists). Winning may look like loss. It may come as persecution. Winning may look like remembering the battle was won on the cross.
I fear christians are doing great harm to the watching world right now through social media posts and shares that incite an angry world.
How would Jesus have us respond and live during tumultuous times? You see, He lived during such times. We happen to live in a generation of mostly ease and little upheaval, so it’s jaded our outlook on the reality the rest of the world lives in.
It’s taken me nearly a year to arrive at where I’ve arrived with this post. A year of wrestling it out with God. I’m choosing the way of “be still and know that I am God.”
“Stop your fighting–and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.” Psalm 46:10
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Does God Love the Righteous or the Riotous?
Self righteousness comes easy to the human heart. The Pharisees often reveal a picture of our own selves if we are honest. These are unprecedented times pressing on us in ways that expose what hides in the human heart. Images of rioters anger the righteous, but each person thinks he is right.
What is God’s heart on this matter? Obviously He is a just God, which creates in many of us a greater sense of righteousness when we see riotousness on display.
God gave me two words recently: riotous and righteousness. I wrote them in my journal knowing He would reveal in His timing what He wanted me to see. He gave me these words weeks ago. Yet, today when I read Matthew 9, He spoke to me through His Word and reminded me of the two words He’d given me a short time ago.
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What lies do we believe?
If we hear a lie enough, we begin to believe it. The lies we believe shape how we live and what choices we make. Often we never realize thoughts we hold are actually lies planted in our heart years ago.
As I read a familiar passage of scripture, I noticed one word that caused me to take a much closer look. That one word “then” revealed how once we choose to consider a lie, we begin to see our circumstances differently than God desires. That is right where the enemy wants us.
But good news. God shows us the path away from deception. So, let’s consider what lies we may be harboring which we’ve believed to be true. Join me for today’s devotion.
A Book List of 100 Books Across Several Genres
About once a year I write a post listing the books I’ve read since the last book post. If you are new here, today’s post is not the normal post, so don’t leave if you aren’t a book lover. For those of you who love to read, you don’t want to miss this list. I know most bloggers will list their top 10, but I simply couldn’t do that. I read 103 books this year and there is no way I could leave any out. This post is long but I feel the list is worth it. It was an incredible year of reading. I don’t plan to read 100 books this year, but I sure am grateful for the growth I’ve experienced from the books that have shaped me.
I shared more in depth thoughts, reviews and quotes through the year on social media as I finished the books. This year I plan to be more active on Goodreads sharing reviews, so I invite you to follow me there.
Trusting God with a perfectly failed plan
Of all this year challenged me with, the one that stands out most is the thought of how much I actually trust God. When circumstances make zero sense or simply don’t follow the plan I hoped for, how quick am I to reach toward frustration? This year exposed the impatience which dwells in me. The […]
Goals + Reading Goals + 100 Books That Changed Me
Have you ever worked towards a goal only to reach it and find yourself shocked you actually did it? That is me right now. Audacious Goals I set a goal at the end of 2019 to read one hundred books in 2020. The most I’ve ever read in a year is thirty books. Why did […]
