Let me say in boldness and truth my God's agenda is not your agenda. He has every right to let us sit in our sin. You want him to fix a country that has turned their back completely on him? You want him to lay his hand of peace and love and protect us when we lash out in hatred toward each other. When we bathe ourselves in sin with porn at our finger tips, pastors on infidelity websites all while feeding our egos by obsessing over how many shares and likes our selfie gets. Lord, forgive us, Lord forgive me. Christians we are luke warm. Non-believers you are headed down a scary road. Instead of fighting you and defending my powerful God, let me tell you what prayer has done in my life.
We just built a house. We just moved in to our dream home, that we saved and sacrificed for. Not just a few months after we moved in, my husband lost his job. Out of nowhere for no just reason my husband was let go of a good, steady, well paying job for a company that he had been a leader in for 10 years. Financial security, gone. And everything stood still and for a moment I felt panic creeping in. I did what I know to do. I met with God. I went to the end of my farmhouse table and sat and I cried out (literally, ugly cry) to my God. I warded off panic and fear with prayer. For over 2 months nothing, no job. For almost 3 months we prayed. Our friends prayed. Our family prayed. Our church prayed. I prayed for my husband to find worth outside of the strong provider gene he has. I prayed peace over us, that no matter what we would find refuge in God. I never doubted that God would provide for us, never once, God's got this we said over and over to friends who didn't understand why we weren't panicking. For these months I saw God molding my husband, drawing him into the word and walking closely with him. I cry now typing it out, because it was beautiful. Today, this morning GOD FIXED THIS. My husband walked out of my house at 6:30am to start his new job. I praise God for his provision of a job, and actually a better paying job! But I want you to know I praise God because during this time of trouble he provided a calm in our home, he made this time sweet, he brought us nearer to him in many ways. Our marriage is stronger and our walk with God is so very sweet.
Today I cry out to God in prayer for my country, for this world.
Your hashtag doesn't make me doubt God. Your headline doesn't make me hate you. Your Internet hatred of my sweet Savior only draws me closer to him. Your attack on prayer only makes me pray harder. Because scripture tells me I should be fervent in prayer and that if I pray, if I remain humble and turn from these wicked ways that he will heal our land. God Bless America Land that I love...let us get back to the roots this country was built and away from hashtags that tare away at that.
#godhealourland #godhealyourpeople #godforgiveus
Much Love,
Chrystan
Ah, so God doesn't help the millions of children under the age of 5 who die yearly in Africa because he is too busy running a job bank in America. Oh, but that must be because those African children are filthy sinners who deserve it for turning their backs on God right? Maybe if they accepted Jesus as their lord and Savior they too would be able to find a job.
ReplyDeleteDear Reader, I understand your frustration in thinking that I am only praising God for providing a job for my husband. I will praise him no matter what, which is what I tried to convey in these sentences: "I prayed peace over us, that no matter what we would find refuge in God." "But I want you to know I praise God because during this time of trouble he provided a calm in our home, he made this time sweet, he brought us nearer to him in many ways. Our marriage is stronger and our walk with God is so very sweet."
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry if I did not convey they correctly. We are thankful for the job, but the job was not the point, how prayer changed us was. Thank you for your input.I will keep these points in mind for the future.
Actually my main frustration stems from you blaming porn and nonbelievers for this massacre. Then jumping out of the way and saying you're not interested in fighting. If you're goal with this piece was to show how God is sweet, then why would you say the only reason he didn't stop this massacre was because people like to take selfies? That doesn't sound like a sweet God, that sounds like a petty and vindictive God. Do you know who are actually sweet?https://mobile.twitter.com/InlandRegional/status/671753208662888448/video/1 but I guess if they would have prayed harder they wouldn't have had 14 of them killed.
DeleteSuch a great read, Chrystan! Thank you for putting your thoughts so boldly out there and for sharing your story. I know that had the Lord not provided this job for your husband you would have continued on in faith and prayer, seeking Him and relying on Him, no matter how difficult. The fact that your husband did get a job is a reason to praise.
ReplyDeleteWe don't understand (nor can we understand) the ways of our God, but we have to trust that through it all He is still good. When that means trial and persecution (and sometimes that is a quite literal persecution and trials of starvation and pain) we will still trust Him and learn to lean on Him for peace. When that means times where life is good, we will praise Him.
In America, we don't know the same trials and persecution as some. But since when did we as a culture decide that it's a bad thing - to be in a time of plenty? That if we have been given good things we are to feel guilty about it and give it all away solely from our guilt? Sometimes in life we find ourselves surrounded by good things but this doesn't mean we have to feel guilty! This is a time to evaluate how we can help others. A time to praise God. Because hard times and trials WILL come. We all enter and exit these stages of life (hardships and plenty) at different times.
We have been greatly blessed to be born into this land and it's so sad to see animosity towards the Lord. We can pray that when times of hardship come in our life, we would learn to walk more closely with Him through these events and not push Him away.
And then there's this... Grace, upon grace, upon grace.
Love you, friend!
Philippians 4:12
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.