What You Believe About God Matters More Than What the World Believes About You
"He's not safe, but he is good." -- Mr. Beaver, The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe
Years ago, being “safe” meant one thing: physical protection. The word was later used about “emotional” safety and people were urged to protect their hearts and spirits from boundary-less individuals in their lives who wreaked havoc.
I can get on board with emotional “safety." Some people, situations, and substances can put us in both physically and emotionally “unsafe" circumstances. I’ve used it myself with boundaries in relationships.
Where things diverged for me was when “safety" was used as a stand-in for exposure to different belief systems.
Years ago, universities began offering “safe spaces” for students who felt threatened by particular speakers on campus (such threatening figures only came from one side of the ideological spectrum it seemed...) The very presence of someone with a differing worldview was said to put students in some kind of psychological “danger.”
This is partially what I wrote about last week, after I was “canceled” as a speaker because my “posts and articles” made people in the group feel “unsafe.” 🙄🙄🙄
*To clarify (because a few people were confused), I think we should have the ability to NOT associate or work with/for people if we don’t want to. I want the leader of that group to have the freedom to disinvite me. I just think, in nearly all situations, this is the wrong decision to make.
I've long thought this kind of “protection” was harmful and ultimately to the detriment of all students, who should be exposed to and ready to dialogue about all kinds of different ideas, including those they don't agree with. And if you don’t want to hear it, don’t go to the event. Let’s be adults.
Regardless of if you believe in this kind of “safety,” we will ALL be exposed to mentally hard things. If you stand on your principles and values, you may be subject to ridicule or criticism.
Unfortunately, this has caused many people to step back and shut up. They fear for their jobs, families, and social relationships and, sadly, we live in a time when that’s reality.
But there's another kind of safety that we have as Christians: spiritual safety.
In the spiritual safety net of God, we can stand up for what we believe in, exist in the whirlwind of opposing cultural winds, and be confident in the voice and truth He provides.
It's something I've not mastered – or allowed myself to fall into completely. I'm still trying to do it on my own sometimes — too often.
As someone who often writes about controversial issues, and who has some very deep leanings on political and social issues, I've taken heat.
And in the past few months, it has crushed my spirit like never before.
Even when I know I'm not some of the horrible names people message me on the Internet, the shame spiral goes to my core before I can stop it. I find myself reading and re-reading the mean things and hating that people don't like me when all I want is the best for everyone.
If I advocate for a policy or belief, it’s because I want prosperity and flourishing for all — physically and spiritually. There’s no “agenda” here, no desire to “control” someone, no “hate” for those who are different from me.
I found out last week that I even lost a long-time friend over these things. I sort of suspected it, but it was finally confirmed — and more of a gut punch than I realized. She is who she is and I am who I am, but she cannot look past our differences and that’s been hard for me to accept.
My husband reminded me that my beliefs aren't just opinions, though. They are part of my identity as a Christ follower and a citizen.
If I am prayerfully pursuing Him and what I believe is His will for people, I can rest in the spiritual safety of His hand. It takes faith and discomfort, that’s for sure.
In Isaiah, it says “Bring your strongest arguments. Come now and speak. The court is ready for your case…
…He reduces armies to dust
…He scatters them like chaff
Who has done such mighty deeds summoning each new generation from the beginning of time? It is I, the Lord, the First and the Last. I alone am He."
I'm not saying I always get it 100% right. I'm willing to repent and apologize if I do get it wrong. And I encourage everyone to seek God in their own right – through prayer, scripture and a genuine search for Truth.
In “Creed,” Rich Mullins sings: “I believe what I believe is what makes me what I am” and I often listen to that song when these moments come over me.
It helps me remember that what I believe about God matters more than what the world believes about me.
And so, I suppose, if you don't like who I am in that way, maybe it doesn't matter because I’m here to further Him, not myself.
The song “Creed” is also the Apostles Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father almighty;
from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
These cultural battles come and go — the trends and beliefs do too — but we are called to stand unmoved in our belief in God’s promises, which “stand forever.” Human nature just cycles back and around again. It will be this way until Kingdom come.
Daniel wouldn’t worship a false god in Babylon and was left with the lions. Neither would his friends, who were thrown into the furnace. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wouldn’t betray his duty and he was executed. Same with these brave men:
*Quick caveat: I’m NOT comparing myself to the very courageous and incredible men mentioned above. I am not a “persecuted Christian” as they were. I just wanted to show that example of how culture doesn’t change.
In the West, faith has been replaced by secular ideologies that attempt to eliminate the need for God. They uplift the individual as supreme — our basest desires, wants, and sinful tendencies permitted to thrive (encouraged to really.)
We don’t seek God first — we assume He will align with whatever culture says is the most “loving” instead of looking FIRST to the One who defines love. There are things I sometimes wish were different, that I would love to be wrong about. But I can’t try to fit what I want to be right into what I know to be God’s perfect will.
This weekend, I watched The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe with my daughter and remembered what Mr. Beaver said about Aslan: “He's not safe, but he is good.”
Living life for Jesus isn’t always “safe” in the world, but it is always good. And in His will, we are ultimately in the safest space we could ever be.
I’m sure I’ll be “canceled” again in the future. I’m sure I’ll get more emails calling me a bigot or a “fake Christian.” And maybe our country goes so far Left that we aren’t allowed to say the “wrong” things legally (already we can’t do it socially). If that happens, I still stand firm in the knowledge of salvation and eternity.
I’ll still fight for the freedom to speak about all ideas — good and bad — because that is the only way we discover the best ones. I’ll still give people the benefit of the doubt. I’ll still hold space for people who think differently than me and love them even if we vehemently disagree.
I hope by talking about these things openly, I will inspire others to do the same.
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Leaving Cloud 9 actually covers the story of my mother-in-law, who I mentioned in today’s newsletter.
Reason to Return: Why Women Need the Church & the Church Needs Women
Leaving Cloud 9: The True Story of a Life Resurrected From the Ashes of Poverty, Trauma and Mental Illness
So good. This is a very challenging reality of things today. Thanks for writing about it and sharing the things you’ve experienced!
"These cultural battles come and go — the trends and beliefs do too — but we are called to stand unmoved in our belief in God’s promises, which “stand forever.” Human nature just cycles back and around again. It will be this way until Kingdom come."
Not sure what battles to which you are referring, perhaps just the fact of battles in general, but I don't believe that human nature cycles back and forth. There have been numerous revivals here and there around the world but they are generally short lived and the world doesn't return to the state it was before. The "Godliness" of man has been deteriorating for quite some time now and I don't believe that it will turn back to God this time. I believe this time the End is near. It is written, and there are numerous examples, that God speaks through those who don't know Him. And what they seem to agree on is that the Earth is doomed. True they are talking mostly about Climate but now also WW3 and plagues etc. Of course GOD IS IN CONTROL and it will be in His time and His manner.
In regards to the things people are saying about, you should hear what the squirrels in the trees and the birds on the wire are saying. Their insults God counts as a Blessing for you. So say Thank You and smile and know you are loved by myself and sooooo many more others especially the God Who Created you.