DAILY DEVOTIONAL – September 30, 2020
“The Comfort in Conflict”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Light of the world and the only way to salvation. We humbly pray, through Your grace and forgiveness, that Your Light would even shine through the words of our mouths and the works of our hands. Amen.
Scripture: Galatians 5:16-18
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Devotional: “The Comfort in Conflict”
I’ll never forget the panic and incredible discomfort I felt during my very first family counseling session as a first-year pastor. I had received a phone call from a friend of one of my parishioners asking if I would be willing to meet with them to discuss some family issues that were going on. Being inexperienced and naïve at that point in the ministry I said, “Sure! When you like to come by the church?” I have since learned that you always ask, “I’m certainly willing to meet with you and help as best I can. Tell me, what is the trouble your family is having?” Had I received even an inkling of the true nature of the problems this family was having, the volatile nature of the situation, and/or the chaos that was about to ensue, I would have gladly told them, “In all honesty, I don’t think I am the best to help you…” and I would have found them someone much more qualified than myself at the time.
But, I didn’t ask the right questions. Sitting in my office about a week later waiting for this appointment to arrive, I saw 3 cars pull into the parking lot all at once. As soon as I saw 9 people exit their vehicles and head my way, I knew I was in trouble. Just by the pace of their walk and the look on their faces, I could tell the fighting probably already started on the ride to the church. I was right. I’ll spare you all of the details, but within 15 minutes of our time together, the shouting match was so intense, all I could do was sit there, completely overwhelmed, and pray for God to have mercy on me. To say that this was an uncomfortable situation wouldn’t due it justice. All I wanted to do was find a way to gracefully leave and get out of the situation.
The older you get and the more life experience you have, you learn that being able to simply ‘exit stage left’ when uncomfortable situations arise is rarely possible. Part of growing up and being a mature adult is learning how to handle yourself in the tension of conflict and in very uncomfortable situations. This is exponentially more true for growing up in our faith as Christians and maturing in our walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. The more we grow in our faith, the more we will find tension and conflict not just in between us and this sinful world, but increasing tension and conflict within ourselves. Why is this, and why should it be this way in increasing measure? Because Galatians 5:17 says, “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” That spiritual conflict within us exists whether we notice it or not because we are sinners who walk in accordance with the Spirit of a holy God. However, when we do notice it, and when we by faith desire to put the flesh to death so as to live for the glory of God rather than ourselves, that conflict within us will magnify and the tension will grow.
We are at the same time sinful and righteous, and we are at the same time a sinner and a saint through faith in Jesus Christ. And as long as we live in this broken and sinful world of our own making, that conflict and that tension of being both sinner and saint will not go away. More importantly, it should not go away. Listen carefully to the words of our Lord Jesus and the words of the apostle Paul.
During His High Priestly prayer, before He went to the cross to pay for the sins of the world, Jesus prayed to His Father and prayed for not only His disciples but for all that would come to believe in the Gospel message He sent His disciples to proclaim. Jesus prayed and said in John 17, “14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.”
Paul, as one of those apostles sent to proclaim the Gospel, said later in Romans 12:1-2, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
You see friends, if we truly are a new creation in Christ, this world is not only not our home but this world is hostile to us. It should not surprise us that we do not understand the wicked ways of the world, it should not surprise us when culture and society expresses a unique and pointed hatred and prejudice against Christianity, and it should not surprise us when we feel as though we don’t belong. I’ll take it a step further and say, because it is what Scripture makes clear, if we do feel comfortable in our skin, if we strive to make a home here and really feel no discomfort because of our faith in Jesus, that’s a problem. It’s a problem either because we have faith and are not following our Lord and His command to live in accordance with and proclaim the Gospel of salvation in Jesus, or worse yet, our faith itself is in question.
Jesus said in no uncertain terms in Matthew 7, “the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Of course, Jesus was not saying here that it is hard to be saved, as if God has intentionally put obstacles in our way. Quite the opposite in fact. As Jesus said in Matthew 11, “28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” The road to salvation is hard not because salvation is hard, it is hard because of our sin, and the world’s sin and the hatred the world has for Jesus and for anyone who follows Him. So if we feel as though we fit well into our own sinful skin, then we do not yet understand the depth of our depravity. Of we feel comfortable and as though we fit into this sinful world, then the world does not see us as a follower of Christ – but it should.
It should not surprise us when we fear losing friends or upsetting family or colleagues because we choose to or not to participate in certain activities or behave in certain ways, but it should not stop us. As Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Our only light is the Light of Christ.
We can’t do it alone, and we have not been left to do it alone. Jesus prayed for you and for me and for all people of faith when He prayed in John 17, “14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” Stay in the Word of God my friends, it is our strength and our shield in withstanding the assaults of this place that is not our home as we endure faithfully to the end.
Take heart and courage my fellow followers of Jesus. Celebrate being the odd man out. Be encouraged by the fact that because of the eternal security that Christ has provided for us in our heavenly citizenship, no amount of conflict within our own sinful selves and no amount of hatred from the world can discourage us or disqualify us from winning the race of faith that has already been won for us in Christ our Lord.
Thanks for joining me for another daily devotional, and remember, God has forgiven yesterday, is with you today and has already taken care of tomorrow. Amen.
