I don’t think we Christians realize how fragile a picture we paint of Christianity when we act as though it is so dependent on certain people and parties being in power and entire nations abiding by our beliefs.
That’s not the gospel of Jesus.
That’s codependency.
Have you left a church you faithfully served in and built relationships in for years and were blown away by how quickly it was like you never attended there? They replaced you in the role you filled and everyone simply moved on.
It's kind of overwhelming/surprising every time.
Know Christ so well you can discern what is unlike Him no matter the seductive or religious garb it wears. God is building His kingdom in the hearts of men and women, not in the externals we have come to love and protect and praise.
We are easily led by good words that touch our longings and desires and frequently make the mistake of assuming the words are true. A culture of words trusted when spoken or written but not lived out in the flesh is a dangerous place.
There is great hope in knowing God is not calling us to bigger, better or extraordinary. He wants to take the small, hidden, little & seemingly unimportant things in our lives & inject them with eternal glory. We can rest in our commonness, our ordinariness, and our smallness.
One time in therapy I had a stress migraine where I couldn’t keep my eyes open. My therapist told me to lie down and then proceeded to speak kindly over me for our session. Such a profoundly sweet memory of care. It was what I needed. Sometimes therapy is just rest.
As Christians, in our disagreeing we must never dismiss or de-humanize another or we become ungodly. The trashing, demeaning, humiliating and labeling of others is horrifying and grieves the heart of our God.
Trauma does not heal apart from being spoken and it needs to be heard in the context of a safe relationship where the dignity of the one crushed is restored.
Do not imagine for a moment prayer doesn’t matter. Pray for Ukraine. Pray for divine intervention. Miraculous protection. Pray for the presence of Jesus to permeate households & hiding places & be a shield & comfort to them. Pray a psalm—maybe 27 or 31—as intercession.Let’s pray.