What to do when the world seems dark

It seems like every time I log onto social media I’m reminded of all the hate and division happening in the world right now. Every day I see Republicans rant and rave against democrats, or “anti-Trumpers” bashing “pro-Trumpers”, or pro-women’s rights activists hurling hateful insults at pro-life groups (or vice-versa for all the above). There are neo-Nazis and Antifa groups marching brazenly through the streets. The racial divide seems to be ever-widening and a sense of resentment and contempt growing on both sides. Minorities are being murdered. Cops are being murdered. Terrorism is gaining followers. I could continue the list, but you get the point. With so much evil spreading seemingly like wildfire through the earth it is very tempting to give our focus to the darkness, but the Lord has been teaching me something very valuable through all of this.

Philippians 4:8 says, “…Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” The enemy wants to cause you to forget that there is any beauty in the world. He wants to make you focus so strongly on the darkness that it’s all you see. Whatever you focus on you move towards. If you focus on darkness then it will slowly begin to consume you until you yourself are dark. Whether that comes in the form of depression, anxiety, rage, disappointment, pride, fear, or greed we will always begin to manifest that which we focus on.

While I’ve experienced this many times in a public forum (I’ve had to publicly apologize more times than I care to remember) I’ve also experienced the same principle a bit closer to home. It is so easy to recognize the short comings in our friends or loved ones’ lives. It is so tempting to want to point out the way the enemy is working, only to open the door for him to begin working in our own lives. I’ve seen myself become so critical, condemning, and accusatory that I began to sound just like the enemy, all the while becoming so fearful or angry that I lose all resemblance of Jesus myself.

The solution to this problem is so simple. Instead of focusing on how the enemy is working in that person’s life, focus on how the Lord is working in that person’s life. While the enemy may constantly be at work, so is Jesus, and His work will ultimately prevail. For instance, when a recovering alcoholic is struggling don’t condemn them for their weakness, but praise them for the fact that they went the longest they ever had in-between their last drink and for their desire to be free. Or instead of focusing on how our spouse may have lost their temper, focus on how the Lord worked in their heart to cause them to humbly apologize and repent. You can choose to recognize the enemy’s work or the Lord’s work, and whichever you choose will either light the darkness or cast an even longer shadow.

So yes, the world may seem dark, but I can vividly see the hand of the Lord so beautifully at work. On the day the racist rallies took place in Charleston I was sharing the gospel to and with people of all races and experiencing Christ unify all of our hearts in love (you can read that post here). Terrorism may be trying to spread fear, but across all the world there are thousands of reports of Christ revealing Himself to those in terrorist groups and the underground church is exploding! I’m seeing unified efforts by more people than ever before to bring healing and repentance to racial divides and injustices. I get to serve with a generation of like-minded believers bolder and more committed to Christ than I’ve ever seen in the church before now that regularly take to the streets and darkest parts of our cities to courageously share the gospel at their own expense. So take heart, keep the faith, and remind yourself to notice the many ways the Lord is working on those around you. By doing so you are allowing Him to perfect that which He began in you. He is doing a work in you because He preparing to do a work through you!

Living to touch God’s heart,
Chris Ulery
divine-romance.com