We spent time at church yesterday praying for the persecuted church in conjunction with the National Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. It was a powerful and very sobering time for all of us, I believe. To stop and think of the thousands of believers who are, at this moment, suffering for the sake of Christ…how do we even begin to grasp that reality while we are living in our comfortable, easy world?

I was thinking over some of this yesterday and I realized something about myself that troubles me…and to be honest, I don’t really know what to do with it. I don’t know how to be different in it…

I can hear of suffering or injustice or persecution…I can read an article or see a headline, hear of this pastor or that believer who is imprisoned for their faith and suffering for the sake of Jesus. And it will grip me, yes. I will feel sadness and offer up a prayer for the situation, but then two minutes later it’s like, “what’s for dinner?” And I go on my merry way in my easy little world, hardly even giving another thought to the horrors that others are experiencing.

While I’m not saying that I think I need to never think about my life and responsibilities and just sit around and meditate on the sufferings of others, it just troubles me that I can so easily forget. I can so easily forget about the thousands of people that are affected and left homeless from the storms in the Philippines, or the ones who suffer torture and injustice because they believe in Jesus, or the millions of souls that are living in slavery. I can so easily get wrapped up in my little world and forget about the world of others.

How do we live in our world while remembering the world and realities of the ones who suffer?

Do we stick notes and reminders to pray? Do we watch video clips and read stories on these things so we don’t forget? How do we remember? How do we care?

 What about you: what are your thoughts on remembering and caring for the sufferings of others?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Ben and I returned from a whirl-wind slash super-wonderful trip to the south last evening, and have you ever came back from something (a trip, event, conference, etc.) and just felt different…like you walk in the door to your home and it’s all familiar and just like you left it, but yet it all feels so new? Like you feel so new? Cool feeling, huh?

Perspective can change everything. Perspective can make you feel new because it gives you an understanding of so many things that happen in life that you just don’t “get” sometimes. And then suddenly it’s all out there in front of you and you see, really really see, the hand of the Lord and His love and mercy and overwhelming kindness to you. And instead of looking at God in confusion and saying “look at what You’ve done!” with anger and frustration, you look at God in understanding and say “look at what You’ve done!!!!” in awe and amazement.

Perspective changes everything. I know I can certainly use more of it.

How do we get perspective?

I think you have to be pretty intentional about getting it. I think you have to take time to stop and reflect, to look back and look at today. I think you have to seek the Lord and ask Him what He is doing, especially what He is doing or has done with the difficult and painful events of your life. Because these events are not abstract. They are for a purpose. Find that purpose and you’ve got your perspective.

Happy day, y’all!

PS. I’m not gonna lie…there really is just nothing quite like that charming Southern culture.