In the Shadow of Yesterday

I can’t believe the chaos we witnessed at our nation’s Capitol yesterday.  It horrifies me!

Of course, with such emotion, you might want me to fill in all the reasons why we believe yesterday happened and how awful and morally corrupt the other side is.

You might want me represent your position and to confirm your most fearful suspicions for what’s going on behind the scenes.

And further still, you might want me to elaborate on all the deception under which the other side operates and how they are destroying this nation…and stealing your life.

You may even think you would know which side I would defend.

But rather than a side, allow me to give you a perspective…Everyone trusts in something.  And when that trust is undermined, it results in a simple reaction: fearful anger, even rage.

And fearful anger always goes to bad places…violent places…especially when it takes hold of a large segment of society.

The deep divide in this nation is rooted in a deep need for security.  And although this may be a huge understatement, this security has been eroded and undermined for far too long…to the point of breaking every emotional underpinning in this nation.  There is no longer trust in our “neighbor,” especially if they do not sound like me or look like me.  It doesn’t matter who you listen to or which side is shouting; they are all saying the same thing: their pain is greater than anyone else’s.

From any individual perspective, that’s how it feels.  It is the truth.  We can’t be told differently.

It’s at this point we are stuck.  We don’t hear anyone else.  We don’t consider their pain.  We can’t even imagine their thoughts being valid.  So, the result…we believe everyone on the other side is maniacally deceived.

So, if I could encourage anything, right now, it’s to humble ourselves…to understand that you are probably just as wrong as everyone else.

What’s needed, now, is the truth of this scripture: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

In the end, it’s not in our righteousness that we are vindicated, but only when we love others more than ourselves.

For further discussion on this, join me on January 19^th at 7 PM, live or online, for my next “72” training. I will be discussing “Discernement—Hearing the Voice of God in the Chaos.” You can find the broadcast on the Zion’s River App, web: www.zionsriver.com, Facebook (Zion’s River Tacoma), or YouTube (Zion’s River).