April 15, 2024

World at War

We are in a world at war. We are not on a luxury cruise ship navigating life. We are fighting in the sands of Iwo Jima, Normandy Beach, and Gallipoli. If your worldview is that life is a luxury vacation, you will always be blaming God for why bad things happen to good people.

However, if your worldview is that life is a war, you will be grateful that anything good happens to you. You do not complain when they mess up your order at the burger joint or about where you sleep, that the mattress is too soft or too hard, or that the room is too hot or too cold. You are grateful that you had something nutritious to eat and that you had a peaceful place to lay your head and rest your body.

Not a Life of Leisure

The Bible does not guarantee a leisurely life with Jesus. However, it assures us that we have a source of strength, courage, hope, and peace to rely on in times of crisis. Scripture can make one even more resilient during challenging times. Every Christian must adopt the mindset that we are at war and that their life is a battle for their soul and for the souls around them. When this mindset is adopted, instead of crying, “Why me?” you see God as an ally, “Lord, I am under attack, and I need your help!”

Everyone must face and grapple with a crisis or even a series of crises at some point or another, but we do not have to do this alone. How we handle these times of tribulation and trial has much to say about our faith in Christ and our worldview. Battles, troubles, and emergencies come in all shapes and sizes and share some common characteristics.

Like an ambush or surprise attack, they are sudden and unexpected; they are important to those affected and produce significant, often life-changing consequences. Typically, a crisis or battle involves some form of loss or tragedy. Quite simply, our lives are disrupted and often chaotic. All of this may have the ring a familiarity to it for you.

Warning Signs

However, some crises have warning signs. There can be early signs that conditions are suitable for a crisis to emerge. Often, these signals are ignored or overlooked. If not properly recognized and dealt with, a trigger event happens, initiating the crisis, but when a crisis is unexpected, it can be devastating.

One day, you will be moving along as usual, doing things the way you have always done them. Then, suddenly, you are jolted by an event. The company you work for collapses; the financial adviser calls to tell you that your investments are wiped out; you get a knock on the door in the middle of the night about a loved one with a severe illness, terrible accident, or death.

The old way of doing things is now gone. You are in unexplored hostile territory. You realize you don’t know everything; the bullets are flying thick and fast, nothing is certain, and your map has holes in it. Thoughts of “Where am I going?” and “What am I doing ?” take precedence over other thoughts. Everything you thought you knew comes into question, and your plans are destroyed. Puzzled by events, you ask, what just happened? Or why me? Does this sound familiar? Even though it is uncomfortable, the good news is that it is entirely normal, especially in warfare. 

It is Warfare

When a crisis is triggered, just like in battle, some people become paralyzed by fear, not knowing what to do or where to turn. The crisis may even intensify or escalate as more bad news comes along. The situation may start spinning out of control, adversely affecting everything around you. You are in the peak of chaos; you may be hurting, wounded, stressed out, full of anxiety, and desperately searching for the off-ramp. A rollercoaster ride doesn’t begin to describe the situation; rollercoasters are fun thrill rides, and there is nothing fun about this crazy ride; it is warfare.

You may even think you are going crazy, but that, too, is normal, but you are likely not crazy. A simple way of looking at this is that your old map is no longer useful, the enemy may have you surrounded, and messages create confusion instead of clarity. Things have changed, and you need a new map, and you need to call for backup.

Another way of defining the process is that the “old normal” is becoming the “new normal,” but there is a period of chaos until things settle. In the event of severe illness or death, grief can undoubtedly worsen the overwhelming feelings you experience. At the acute stage of a crisis, there is a high level of chaos, uncertainty, and urgency.

Christian Soldiers

Every American soldier understands the mission, and it is always the mission first. He always knows he has backup and can call on great firepower to alter any situation. The same is true for the Christian soldier. Remember your mission, use prayer to call on more firepower, and be still and wait on God. Study the word as you would study strategy and tactics. The Bible is the greatest soldier’s manual.

How should we respond to and support others amid a crisis? Firstly, it’s crucial to understand that those affected may not be thinking clearly during the chaotic phase, as their world has been turned upside down and the enemy is pressing on all sides. Thus, offering rational advice, sermonizing, or stern lectures isn’t appropriate at this time.

During times of crisis, they truly need the presence of empathetic companions who can stand by them while they cope with the initial shock and subsequent grief. Acting on the crisis can come later; it’s unsuitable during the initial shock period. Just simply being there for the person or family can be the best thing. 

Later on, there will be opportunities to address the spiritual aspects, consult the Bible more thoroughly, and provide guidance on action steps. Each stage of the crisis process necessitates its own set of ministry skills. Recovering out of chaos requires effort to regain control and manage events. Guidance from scripture, specifically the Psalms, is of great benefit. Seeking professional help may be required in some circumstances. There is no shame in seeking professional help. Church leaders may show you what resources are available.

We are a world at war. Yes, Jesus won the war, the enemy is full retreat, no gate of Hell can stand against us, we will tear down every stronghold, but he can still attack, he can still kill, steal, and destroy until Jesus returns. So, “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:10-11 NLT)

Author: Jon-Roy Sloan is the Chief Communications Officer for NationsUniversity and the author of Anastasia Smiles: Love Needs No Translation. Disclaimer statement: Please note that the opinions expressed herein are those of the author alone and are based on his personal understanding of scripture and how God works in our lives and do not necessarily reflect the views of NationsUniversity®.

Note: This is a rewrite of an earlier post.