Hello my friends,
Once again a year has flown by and I am just making the time to sit down and write up a post. This has really been a year of revelation for me. If you follow me at all, you know that I have been taking a year off of social media. This started February 4th (pretty sure that is the exact date...I wrote it somewhere haha). Wow, it has been intense. I feel like I have learned some things about myself and the Lord. When you take a step back from looking at the world, the only place to look is inside of yourself. If you are anything like me...inside isn't always so pretty. I will try to explain the best I can what the Lord has been working in my heart.
In a time of prayer with the Lord he revealed to me that I often have the heart of a Pharisee. Yes, I know, not the word of encouragement I wanted to hear either haha. The Lord really is about changing hearts. Unfortunately, sometimes you get a tough word. Honestly, I took it pretty well. I can definitely feel the way my heart is tough in some places. So it really was a timely word. Over the past few months I have really been trying to press into the places where I am hardened. It is not easy work at all, but the Lord has really helped me to begin to feel for people and causes that I normally would not. The absence of social media in this time has allowed me to not see all the ideas, complaints, and political rants, which in a way, has caused me to have more love for people. I have really been reaching out to friends by text, phone calls, and by actually meeting face to face. We can get so caught up in all the negativity and opinions of others that we forget that they are real people, with real lives and problems. Removing myself from social media outlets has allowed me to feel for people and talk about life with them without any previous bias in my mind. Some of you may have the talent to do that already, but for me it meant cutting social media from my life.
The last couple weeks I have been spending time reading the promises of God over myself and doing some soaking worship in my home. This time is reaping tremendous benefits. I feel more at peace, able to look at the world with hope, and feeling closer to God. My time off social media has allowed me to spend time with God instead of "surfing" the web. The areas of social media I cut out were Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (my core outlets). I am still reading some Christian blogs and things of that nature for encouragement and challenge. And recently, the negativity and division that is happening in the world is now starting to happen in the church. I have been wrestling about this with God and really asking for wisdom on the topic.
What I am about to write may be challenging for you, and that is okay. Take these words and see if they resinate with you. Spend some time in prayer asking God to reveal truth to you. As individuals we have different speeds of learning, maybe you are aware of a truth that I have not yet learned yet. God uses the church as a whole to reveal things to each other. Don't ever fool yourself into thinking you know it all. That is a dangerous place to be. Alright, the past couple of months I have felt a weight of disappointment and frustration with the church. As many others are talking about as well. But as a Christian with the privilege to worship our God in the context of a church community, you have to choose what you will stand for. Will that be to slander the establishment (the church) that Jesus died for? Or will that be to command change by listening gracefully and taking steps to move the church in line with what the Gospel teaches? The church is beginning to vocally whine and complain on social media outlets and it is the saddest thing I have seen. Yes, awareness needs to happen. But let us do it gracefully. Instead of writing a mean post on Facebook, how about approach your church staff or other Christians to pray/fast/and discuss those issues lovingly. The world knows what anger looks like. It is shown as the way to get what you want in our society. Does the world need any more anger? Does the world need an angry church as well? I think what it needs is an apologetic one...but apologetic mixed with hope and redemption. Sitting in complaint and anger will get you no where. It makes my soul ache to see Christians writing a rude, angry, and hateful post on social media and then just signing off. We absolutely do not serve a hateful, sign off God. Why is that is method for "awareness" or "discussion"? Complaints without a loving solution or action is really just hopelessness. If you understand the Gospel it is not one of hopelessness.
I really challenge you to look at your perspective on the world and the church. Who are you putting first? Is it God and His kingdom? Is it your knowledge and ability to win an argument? Is it your plan for what society needs to do? If you press into the wisdom of God He will reveal to you your heart. Just like mine can be the heart of a Pharisee sometimes. I tend to be a little more on the legalistic side, actions speak louder than words to me, and you reap what you sow. But those mindsets are harsh, and our loving God knows there are consequences in this life...that doesn't mean he leaves you in the mess you made. God is working on my heart to help it soften and look lovingly on those different than me. And that means that my brothers and sisters in Christ have to help me along this journey. They can't say, "oh, that Lindsey just doesn't get it, let us separate ourselves and our agenda from her." This is silly because God has revealed to me some issues in my heart. But you wouldn't know that unless you asked. I am praying for the church to be more gracious with itself. Yes, we have the love and truth that God offers...and that helps us to remember we are still a broken helpless people without God. Everyone gets to God the same way. By coming to Him broken, ashamed, confused, weary, and in need of a Savior. So let us love like our God has loved us. He doesn't love us because we claim to know it all. He loves us because we are His children. Because he actually enjoys us. Enjoy your brothers and sisters in Christ. Enjoy that you have one major promise to bond over. That you were both broken and in need of a Savior. That you now have in your heart, Jesus. A friend who loves every part of you, and because he loves you will continue to push you to understand His heart and passion for this world. Satan wants to divide the church. He wants hopelessness to prevail. Which will you choose to promote? God doesn't ask His people to be of bunch of numb angry Christians. Learn to process, lament, and sing over this world in your church. God will met you there.
I want you to know that I am no where near the solution for this whole mess. But, I truly do believe if you put your agenda aside and press into the Lord He will reveal wonderful and great wisdom. We need our churches to love one another well and be ready in prayer and love for what will try to continue to destroy it. I do not want anyone to read this post and think that I do not care about social justice issues. What I am desiring and pouring out to God in prayer is that His church will rise up to tackle these issues well. By getting our hands dirty and not relying on others, and that as a church we can learn to listen and discuss topics within the church in ways that are loving and hopeful. I believe these issues will not get better if God's church isn't ready to approach them with wisdom and grace. These issues will make or break your trust in God. Turn to your heavenly father and church congregations and seek what He would have for the world in this time. Please don't think that you have all the answers.
P.S. In no way am I saying to stay at a church that preaches beliefs different from those inspired by God and written in the Bible. He has given you the gift of discernment, use it :)
Thanks for taking the time to read this. I posted below some links that I have found to be of great beauty for my soul.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4OAsxUJx2M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLf_Nlukra0&list=RDDLf_Nlukra0&index=1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a_WBNFN4lM
