Put God in Everything
(original July 10, 2020)
Sometimes my brain and my heart live in grueling and anxious knots.
Last night during a small group meeting, I listened for several hours as we talked about racial tensions in this country. I also listened for hours about how guilty we should feel and how wrong we have been and how terrible and bad this whole world is — from “woe-is-me” to “doomsday.”
I finally spoke up and said that my biggest concern is that through all of the sociology books and professors in academia and people with stone hearts and evil minds producing ill-action, that I am concerned because God is rarely talked about in conversation circles that spin round and round and round talking about worldly problems with minimal resolution that should be relegated only to a specific race- again. And no mention of God.
Someone apologized to me about not talking more about God even though this was a church group. I explained no apology was necessary to me, but I did find myself slightly personally offended by one of the remarks about, “… the sprinkling of God in my life , but …,” followed by lots of reasons why God wasn’t needed in the conversation.
As I went to sleep that night, I found myself waking up every couple of hours feeling guilty that I raised this point in a discussion aimed about racial inequality. But I am convinced and in fact, the Bible says God needs to be center in everything that we do. We need to pray about everything that we do.
I simply shared that I had a difficult time hearing where God fits in any of this from either side. And that upset the applecart. Perhaps I was feeling guilty because I wished I would have had better words to share or more wisdom during those specific moments. Sometimes it’s hard to be silent.
Nonetheless besides a terrible night’s sleep, I found that the meeting outcome permeating my mind often throughout today. So, I prayed with great focus and finally gave my daily burdens over to Jesus.
And then I received a Facebook post from Scott M. Sullivan stating:
“I can’t get past how churches are dropping the baton and passing on the faith to the next generation. The real problem goes to the top! I don’t necessarily mean pastors … but the problem is about what we place on top of our priorities.
Intellectual hypocrisy … they don’t seem to believe what they say that they believe … if Christianity is true then the stakes are higher than what we seem to think they are.
It’s a battlefield and souls are being lost on a daily basis and these are spiritual lives that are being lost.
What is the army of God doing about this? Well, outside the typical Sunday meeting, most churches do little more than get together and have a coffee and donuts.
Donuts are great but how are we equipping the faithful to fight this battle? Most churches don’t offer any training or education to be effective evangelists.
The reality of this battle is a call for action and engagement.
Even atheists notice this lack of concern for souls and they do not respect Christians who do not evangelize.
A challenge: Next time you go to a church service or a talk, ask yourself how well is your church preparing you to save a sick and dying world?
I’m ready for action. Are you?”
This was the very reassurance that I prayed to receive today. I even stated during the meeting that I could not apologize for wanting to bring God into the conversation as part of the resolution to all our problems, regardless of what they are.
I received this message after quiet and focused prayer, taking this burden to the foot of the cross and talking to Jesus about it. He listened and He answered. Why do we not solicit His help more often?
God has been ready for action for quite some time. So now my prayer continues for guidance and the wisdom to bring what we experience today into the context of the Bible or vice versa.
Our societal problems are human problems and because of their very nature, the resolution far outweighs the capability of man alone.
Healing is the providence of Jesus. He died on the cross after healing so many people here on earth, but even as He died, he heals us with Holy Spirit, the one we should never forsake.
God, make me Your soldier. Let Your heart be my heart and Your eyes be my eyes and Your lips be my lips so I can help do Your work in this earthly Kingdom as You see fit.
Much of my life was spent with “the God of my own convenience” until He changed my heart. My heart now belongs to God and for that, I owe no apology. But as a Christian, it is my responsibility to share, even with other Christians, who fail to see our need for God in everything.
Bonnie Zickgraf is a retired pastor, author, columnist for The Times, and an RN in mental health nursing. Send comments and prayer requests to bonniezickgraf@gmail.com.