Over the past couple of weeks my husband and I have had many conversations with people who are, frankly, perplexed and deeply concerned about our present circumstances. And their state of confusion is not necessarily coming as disappointment from a political or social perspective. These are people from all walks of life; all economic and social backgrounds; and they are all worried. They all recognize that we've never seen such division and discord in this nation in our lifetimes, and there is a deep sense something dark is hanging over the land.
I will be honest and tell you that for those who do not have God as their anchor, it is difficult for me to offer any solace or suggestion to ease their anxiety. There is no "quick fix" for the mess we're in, and I'm afraid their normalcy bias keeps them from seeing the truth of what our future may look like.
Even the Believers are struggling; some because they just don't have a template for what happens when God doesn't automatically restore us or rescue us from our troubles. They're beginning to get a picture that doesn't fit the narrative they've been told about our exceptionalism, or match the visions and dreams of the modern-day "prophets". There are others who have discerned [and accepted] that our disobedience and rebellion against God calls for repentance and humility and yes, even discipline. For them it is a matter of dealing with God's silence. And I will tell you that it has been somewhat comforting to know that I am not alone in my eagerness to hear from Him.
I am not fearful, nor am I deluded. I am not trying to convince myself that things will be back to normal soon, or that nothing is going to happen. I am a watchman on the wall and I see the darkness coming. But along with many others whom the Lord has designated watchmen, I have been determining what my role is while we are waiting for God to speak into this realm. I am trying to be patient as I wait on the Lord. I know that this waiting has a purpose -- to strengthen my resolve to complete my Kingdom assignment; to seek more knowledge and wisdom in Him; to seek His face and rest in Him; to focus on the hope that is in Him. So it's been mostly me talking and praying to Him in the early, early morning hours; and waiting for instructions.
Then yesterday, the Holy Spirit prompted me with His wisdom and counsel. His advice went something like this: "You know, don't you, that even in His silence, the Father is busy and working behind the scenes in the events of the world? So, while you're waiting, you can still use your spiritual giftings and Teach, Equip, and Train, and Encourage. The Father has given you those assignments and the ability to do them, in and out of season, in good times and bad. You don't think the Enemy is going to just sit back and wait for you to hear the Father's voice, do you? While you're on that wall, you're seeing things that the Body of Christ is unprepared for. Why don't you use your gifts and your calling to help them see the things coming on the earth more clearly; then teach them the spiritual tools they will need to press into the Father; to train them to seek their own gifts; to encourage them to go to a higher level of intimacy and power with God, so that our nation does not have to descend into further darkness?
Just because our Father is silent in this moment of time doesn't mean that I have to be -- or that you need to be! We all have been given gifts that can be used to educate, empower, and encourage ourselves [and each other] to assist God and His angels in defending His Kingdom here on earth. Those gifts work, in conjunction with the keys of the Kingdom, to make us "living stones" that are responsive and reactive to the Spirit within us to become more and more like the foundational stone of our lives, Jesus Christ.
Jesus walked in all the gifts. He is our model, and He expects us to use our gifts in these troubled times. "As the Father has sent me, I also send you" (John 20:21). So while I am waiting on God and the Lord to reveal their next move, I will move to teach and equip and train and encourage Christians to persevere in the coming years and to walk in the power and authority as Kingdom ambassadors, citizens, and priests. I call on my brothers and sisters in Christ to join me in sharing their gifts. I ask those who have been called to intercede in prayer and fasting to teach and encourage others to follow them. I ask those who have been called to lead others to seek the Face of the Lord in intimacy and spirit to help others experience that encounter with God. I ask those who have been called to worship to bring their talents, and change the atmosphere with voices full of joy and reverence. I ask those who have been called to give Words of Knowledge to reveal the Lord's prophecies over lives and watch as the plans of the Evil One to destroy those lives are stopped in their tracks. And I ask those who have been called to bring healing to the broken-hearted to help the wounded overcome their pain and to both give and receive forgiveness, the biggest stumbling block to our freedom in Christ.
In summary, I know many of you are also experiencing God's silence right now. You are not receiving answers to your questions or prayers. But this is where the rubber of our faith hits the proverbial road, and we must not submit to Evil, but rather stand in our identity, our assignments, and our callings. There is much we can and should and must be doing while we wait. Do not cower in fear. Do not retreat into numbness. And do not look back. We go forward in boldness and with the spiritual insight and knowledge that God goes with us. He is still a God of miracles and hope; and we steward that hope, even when things seem hopeless. So, let us engage with Him and in our gifts and callings, and let's transform lives, nations, and the world!
Psalm 37:7-9 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
