Dear Editor,
If you haven’t noticed lately, our world seems to be exploding into chaos. Before you get too excited, this is nothing new.
The situation, though, is being completely misinterpreted because most people have no idea of what is really going on.
The battles of our world are not political. They are not religious. They are not racial. They have nothing to do with sexual orientation. They are not based on the economy. They cannot be blamed on the educational system. The ecological state of the earth is not at stake. And, they are not due to drugs, alcohol, pornography, abuses or law enforcement against such behavior.
What we are witnessing is a rebellion against God. It plays out in many different arenas of life, but the basis of all that we are witnessing is a rebellion against God.
See, the human race is sinful by nature. Since their nature is sinful their action and activity will be sinful also.
You must understand that a rebellion against God is hardly ever acted out by humans screaming out at God. Our rebellion against God is show by screaming out against each other.
Here’s the deal. For the most part, we, as individuals, want the world to be the way “I” want it to be. When it is not the way “I” want it to be, “I”, in my disruption, begin to scream out at those around me who are disrupting my world. (You can use this writing as an example.)
But, the problem is not those who you are screaming out against. The real problem is your inner rebellion against God.
See, God has a plan. It is a plan for your good and not your destruction. The problem here is we don’t know God’s plan and don’t want to abide by it. “I” want the world to go my way and “I” go to God and tell him through prayer how He is supposed to make the world around me to be.
When God doesn’t do what I command Him to do, even when I invoke Jesus’ name, I get angry at God.
Now, the “I” would never admit that he is angry with God, but his outward rebellion against those around him displays his anger with God.
The “I” believes the world should be different than it presently is. But, we live in a world of humanity that is fallen and the fallen, sinful nature, that is rebelling against God, is actually what is to be expected. So, for us to expect something different than our current reality leads to anger.
Our anger will only be settled when things either go my way or “I” finally submit myself to God realizing that everything is exactly as He is allowing it to be.
If “I” could come to this reality, “I” could have a peace that passes all understanding.
So, the solution to all that is happening around us is to submit to the Lord, allowing the One who is in charge to be in charge, and walking with an inner peace even though the rest of the world is living out their rebellion against God.
I’m willing to let them. I just wanted you to know what is really going on in our world.
Pastor Thomas R. Swain
First Church of God
Great Bend