questions. tears. doubts.
the brokenness of this world. of humanity. it brings me to my knees. overwhelms me.
our ability to inflict violence, pain, and hurt on one another comes far too easily. how have we allowed ourselves to arrive here? rather, how have we allowed ourselves to stay here? the vulnerable suffer intensely. slavery is all too real. the 'socially different' are rejected. lonely. the wealthy - yes even 'poor struggling students' are members of that label - we sit comfortably in our wealth while the rest of the world suffers and lives in fear. the quality of life varies drastically from one country to the next as a result of selfishness. our North American society continues to encourage self satisfaction. consumerism. we are essentially told "you've worked hard enough so you deserve to spend excessive amounts of money on unnecessary things" when our money could be used for greater things. to save lives. the brokenness crashes down on me like a wave and consumes my thoughts.
it's not like any of this is new. but these days the reality impacts me deeply. i question humanity and what we have become. yes, i recognize and am so grateful for the incredible organizations standing against injustice and who seek to rescue and restore. what they do gives me hope. yet how is it that today there are more people enslaved than any point in history. right now nearly 30 million people are enslaved.
30 million.
that number is devastating. the reality is devastating. it is out of control. it breaks me. women and children taken advantage of. their bodies sold to please men. manipulation, threats, corruption, fear, violence, & bondage consume 30 million people. they are mothers, fathers, brother, sisters and cannot be protected. what can i even do? the problem is so enormous and i lose hope. humanity continues to destroy each other.
but i have to remind myself over and over that humanity was broken from the beginning. a result of our sin. why am i putting my hope into humanity who is bound to fail - who continues to fail? i have let myself become unfocused. to put my hope in people that will never meet the mark. who at the core are sinful. my hope can be in nothing or nobody else but Christ - everything else will disappoint yet Christ never fails. in the middle of this completely broken, hurting, and corrupt world Christ is present. but it still doesn't make sense to me why all of the evil continues.
i beg God to stop it. but i know that a result of our sin is suffering. we have brought it on ourselves. praise God we don't have to go through this alone. thank God that he hasn't left us. thank God that he is sufficient. thank God that Jesus is coming back. thank God this is not the end.
the sin that continues to destroy us will not win.
for Jesus told us "here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” {John 16:33}
this is all we have. Christ is everything. He is who i cling to. He is who i place my hope in. and at His feet i place the brokenness and pain that is choking the world. i pray that His love, passion, and desire for justice moves me to action. to be a light in this darkness. i so desperately desire change. freedom for the vulnerable. but right now all i can do is pray.
and i know prayer is powerful so i will continue to pray without ceasing.
and on my knees cry out to the only one who offers hope.
{i encourage you to read "The Locust Effect" by Gary Haugen & Victor Boutros. also check out http://www.thelocusteffect.com/ }
the brokenness of this world. of humanity. it brings me to my knees. overwhelms me.
our ability to inflict violence, pain, and hurt on one another comes far too easily. how have we allowed ourselves to arrive here? rather, how have we allowed ourselves to stay here? the vulnerable suffer intensely. slavery is all too real. the 'socially different' are rejected. lonely. the wealthy - yes even 'poor struggling students' are members of that label - we sit comfortably in our wealth while the rest of the world suffers and lives in fear. the quality of life varies drastically from one country to the next as a result of selfishness. our North American society continues to encourage self satisfaction. consumerism. we are essentially told "you've worked hard enough so you deserve to spend excessive amounts of money on unnecessary things" when our money could be used for greater things. to save lives. the brokenness crashes down on me like a wave and consumes my thoughts.
it's not like any of this is new. but these days the reality impacts me deeply. i question humanity and what we have become. yes, i recognize and am so grateful for the incredible organizations standing against injustice and who seek to rescue and restore. what they do gives me hope. yet how is it that today there are more people enslaved than any point in history. right now nearly 30 million people are enslaved.
30 million.
that number is devastating. the reality is devastating. it is out of control. it breaks me. women and children taken advantage of. their bodies sold to please men. manipulation, threats, corruption, fear, violence, & bondage consume 30 million people. they are mothers, fathers, brother, sisters and cannot be protected. what can i even do? the problem is so enormous and i lose hope. humanity continues to destroy each other.
but i have to remind myself over and over that humanity was broken from the beginning. a result of our sin. why am i putting my hope into humanity who is bound to fail - who continues to fail? i have let myself become unfocused. to put my hope in people that will never meet the mark. who at the core are sinful. my hope can be in nothing or nobody else but Christ - everything else will disappoint yet Christ never fails. in the middle of this completely broken, hurting, and corrupt world Christ is present. but it still doesn't make sense to me why all of the evil continues.
i beg God to stop it. but i know that a result of our sin is suffering. we have brought it on ourselves. praise God we don't have to go through this alone. thank God that he hasn't left us. thank God that he is sufficient. thank God that Jesus is coming back. thank God this is not the end.
the sin that continues to destroy us will not win.
for Jesus told us "here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” {John 16:33}
this is all we have. Christ is everything. He is who i cling to. He is who i place my hope in. and at His feet i place the brokenness and pain that is choking the world. i pray that His love, passion, and desire for justice moves me to action. to be a light in this darkness. i so desperately desire change. freedom for the vulnerable. but right now all i can do is pray.
and i know prayer is powerful so i will continue to pray without ceasing.
and on my knees cry out to the only one who offers hope.
{i encourage you to read "The Locust Effect" by Gary Haugen & Victor Boutros. also check out http://www.thelocusteffect.com/ }
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