I must admit that I personally got so emotionally sucked into my beliefs that I, like many – with genuinely, good intentions – began to correct people in my circle, often with a tinge of irritation and to be real – judgement. It grieved me to see my Christian friends and acquaintances be unwilling to accept that the people who wanted change and are peacefully protesting are not the same people looting and rioting, but you know what? If I am being honest, I do not know that to be 100% fact. I have personally been discriminated against because of the color of my skin and I also have African-American friends who have experienced much worse than I have. Because of this, I was so charged about wanting people of color to get what we deserve that I refused to allow people I know to diminish what I believe to be a cause worth fighting for.
In all truth, none of us have all the facts 100% correct. We all just have our interpretation of what we are being spoon fed by media and other sources. In actuality, we are only choosing is which camp to support. Regardless, we are all free to choose whichever side we please, and I will continue to do that.
Here’s the thing: If you are a believer in Christ, you are called to be surrendered to Someone higher. Many of us are more vocal than we have ever been, but we have never been as outspoken about our faith and what God is doing in our lives. Many of us have never stepped out in bold faith to share the Gospel with our loved ones, or maybe we gave up after a few tries, even though we know what it means for their eternity.
God reminded me about Joshua 5, where a man appeared to Joshua before their battle at Jericho and how Joshua asked him, “Are you friend or foe?”, to which the Man replied, “No. I am the Commander of the Lord’s army and I have come.” The very next thing the Man told Joshua was to acknowledge what God has made holy. From there, we know that their instructions to conquer Jericho meant that they marched silently for 6 days and that it was their ferocious, unabashed worship that brought forth the defeat of their enemy. God does things so differently than we do.
God also reminded me about Moses and how in solitude, he spent time with God to get orders on how to love and obey Him, but before that, they went through many challenges. The Jews had so many different parts of their history that required faith in exchange for liberation; walking through the Red Sea, following fire at night and a cloud by day, eating bread from the sky, etc. and through it all, God’s desire was to free them from oppression and give them a life of abundance, but it comes at the cost of being obedient to Him.
For me personally, and I think for every believer, whether you have been silent or vocal about where you stand regarding today’s issues, ultimately, we are called to submit to the One Higher than all that is going on. I will continue to educate myself and no longer tell people how to process, but first and foremost, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
I have to make sure that before I speak, I am spending time with the Lord and getting my orders from Him. Fighting for a good purpose cannot come at the cost of stepping out of identity and sinning against God or my faith family.
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
1 Peter 2:9 NET
As I was painting this picture, God showed me that as His children, we are to look to Him for all things and to seek Him and His kingdom above all else.
If you find yourself where I was, irritated and correcting people, being their judge and not their sister (or brother), praying that they see what you see, but forgetting to humbly pray that we ourselves would be open, take it as a sign to check our hearts. Yes, we are called to help, but do not get distracted. We are called to join the army of the Lord, not the other way around. Pray and trust that the what God does in the spirit realm is far greater than what our arguing can do. Seek Him for strategy and operate in obedience.
There is nothing greater you can do for your cause than to look to the Lord for wisdom, for how to operate in it via your identity and for how to stay in alignment with Him through all you are fighting for. There is no unity or equality outside of the Lord’s will, but first, we need to take time to hear what that is.
Love you all and I hope you are encouraged to seek the Lord, to surrender to Him and to be obedient to Him above anything else.
HE CARES ABOUT ALL OF IT WAY MORE THAN WE DO.
April Santos | His People SD
https://www.hispeoplesd.org