Holding our ground

"Why doesn't God do something about the mess we live in - in the world?"

That is the mantra of the world we live in.

In a world that is full of cultural, political and economic turmoil - as will as immense human suffering, God will often be ridiculed because of his so-called ineffectiveness.

And, as a result, we as people of faith, Christ-followers are ridiculed as well.

"Well, you believe there is a loving God, let YOUR GOD doing something about this mess," some will say.

Or worse yet, people will consider a relationship with Christ to be irrelevant, while others still go one step further - they consider Christ-followers to be THE obstacle to the world solving its problems.

In a sense, Jesus predicted this when he told his followers that they would be persecuted, arrested, tortured, and killed (as he was).

As a follower of Christ, people will misunderstand you, say your God doesn't exist (or at best ignore God) and then turn around and blame that same God (and you) for the ills of the world.

It comes "lose-lose" for us - UNLESS:

Unless we realize that Christ also told us to not worry but to trust in him at all times.

Luke 21:14,15 tells us, "Make up your minds not to prepare your defense, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict."

My word of encouragement to you today:  Don't be intimidated or fearful of the skepticism and cynicism of the culture we live in, but trust that God will give you the strength to hold your ground.

Just a thought for a Thursday.