When The Old Can't Hold The New

Sometimes being broken isn't a bad thing.  Sometimes it just means that the old can't hold the new.  It hurts all the same, but sometimes God allows us to break in order to make room for the new and allow it to grow.  It may still be caused by sin on some level in these cases, and likely that sin is what would have hindered our growth if things would have remained as they were.


The strange thing is, that the more we've encountered Christ and His love and the more ready we are to grow, the less it hurts.  When I've experienced all that Christ has to offer and how much better it is than what anyone or anything else has to over, the more I am willing to embrace that brokeness if it leads me closer to Christ.  I become more ready to throw off everything that hinders me in my walk with Him and to keep my focus on Him.  He is my prize.  Even if I lost all else, He would still remain.  And He is greater than all else.  He satisfies even the deepest longings of the heart.  If He's leading me out of something, I can trust that it's for my good and that He's leading me into an even better place to bear fruit.  And there's a strange sense of peace that accompanies this brokeness, a peace that helps me let go and move on.

Life From Death

As usual, we enjoyed a great discussion in my life group tonight.  We have been going through the book of Acts since September.  One of the things that has amazed us is how much the church grew in times of heavy persecution.  Large numbers of people came to Christ even as the people preaching the Gospel suffered hardships many of us here can't even imagine for sharing their faith.  The suffering wasn't a deterrent.  These people wanted Christ.

Should this surprise us, though?  After all, our faith is built on the horrific death of Christ and the hope that comes from Christ defeating death.  The apostles had seen the risen Christ.  They knew death had no power over them.  As the enemy came after their lives, the church only grew.

A similar situation is currently being seen where unimaginable persecution is taking place.  I've read stories about how fleeing from ISIS has allowed Christians to reach people that had previously been unable to reach.  In Niger, the Gospel is spreading after attacks on the Church. The pastors are filled with joy believing that this will lead God's Kingdom to grow.

All of this has shown me that there are two different ways to look at the situation.  One is to look at it as the enemy defeating the church.  The other is to look at it as as God defeating the enemy. The latter is counterintuitive, but Biblical.  I am choosing to believe the latter and think that it will be proven to be true.  Our God is a God who brings life from death. Death is equated to a seed being planted in order that new life and more of it may be brought forth.  I think that is what will happen here.  I think there will be a large harvest that will come from this time when Christian persecution is at a high.

I think we also have roles to play here.  WE are the Church.  WE are being attacked.  Let's be in constant prayer for our brothers and sisters that face persecution.  Some of us might be able to help financially.  There are groups trying to provide for ISIS victims.  There are groups trying to help Christians who may have lost everything in Niger rebuild. The world is more connected than ever.  I think the most amazing thing that could come out of this would be for the Church to stand together in unity in whatever ways possible in the power of Christ.  I think that would make Satan tremble.  Let's do it!