The hardest place to follow Christ is in America.
I rang in the New Year celebrating Jesus alongside thousands of other young adults in Atlanta, GA attending Passion. This huge, annual, three-day Christian conference welcomes passionate speakers and bands to glorify the Lord, including Levi Lusko, John Piper, Christine Caine, Crowder, and Matt Redman. I left Atlanta feeling spiritually renewed, excited, and full.
During the last morning worship session, as the entire stadium was belting out the words, “oh the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God,” I took a moment to take my eyes off the Lord and look around at His people. Thousands, literally thousands, of college-aged Christians had their hands longingly reaching up towards God, eyes closed and mouths open, praising – adoring – surrendering – crying out – to Him. I was struck by how rare a sight this would be in various other countries (because of religious persecution, lack of evangelizing Christians, and other factors). But then I realized that it’s an even rarer sight to see this many people in America congregating and worshipping Jesus whole-heartedly. We live in a country of lukewarm, lazy, soft Christianity. Residing in the richest country, we have everything we need… (or so we think). We don’t rely daily on God to provide us with food, water, shelter, or work because we already always have those provisions. We don’t devote to secretly worshipping God in hiding, out of the view of the authorities, but casually walk in and out of churches whenever we feel like it. Our lives are not on the line. Our faith is not what we cling to. Our Jesus is not the persecuted, brave warrior Jesus in the Bible.
For Western Christians, Satan does not beat us, torture us, and persecute us like he does all around other parts of the globe. No, in America, Satan numbs us, distracts us, and puts us to sleep. In Somalia, Christians are sacrificing their lives for the expansion of God’s Kingdom. In America, Christians are sacrificing their morning quiet times for an extra ten minutes of pressing snooze on their alarm clocks. In China, Christians’ churches are being demolished. In America, Christians’ churches are being divided against each other because of denominational disagreements. In Egypt, Christians are regularly imprisoned, beaten, and tortured. In America, Christians are regularly partying, watching Netflix, and shopping online. In North Korea, Christians’ Bibles are their most-prized, life-giving possession that they kiss and weep over. In America, Christians’ (10) Bibles are used as paper weights on cluttered desks, occasionally being opened when the believer is having a bad day.
I do not say these things to guilt trip you. My intention is not to make you feel bad for not being a persecuted Christian living in constant danger. No, my hope is that you will WAKE UP from the sleep Satan has put us in, to LOOK UP from the distractions he has set in front of us, and to GIVE UP living a spiritually lukewarm life!
The hardest place to follow Christ is in America. We are consumed with our success, 9-5 jobs, not missing the latest post on social media, spending our money on that dress or phone we’ve had our eye on, watching the newest episode of our favorite show on television. We have no problem loving God and loving the world at the same time. We are happily living in our own bubbles, believing in Christ, yet not being proactive in sharing that belief. Satan isn’t even pointing a gun at our heads, ordering us to deny that we follow Jesus. Oh no, that would be way, way too bold for our meek faith. He instead just places the next worldly distraction in front of us that will keep us busy for awhile. “Why physically torture an American Christian or lock them up in prison for their faith, when I can just put Instagram in front of them instead?” I believe this is how the enemy thinks. He doesn’t want to draw any attention to us. He doesn’t want to make a scene. He doesn’t want God to be in the spotlight here. So he dangles a distraction in front of our nose, knowing that the smell of money, security, and comfort will keep us quiet.
“A ship in a harbor is safe – but that is not what ships are for.” -John Shedd
When I first heard this quote, it shook me to my core. Our relationship with Jesus is just like a ship. In a harbor, it is safe. But that’s about it. It is not being enjoyed out on the open water; it is not being beaten down on by harsh weather; it is not exploring the world’s oceans; it is not transporting goods or passengers; it is not doing anything.
How many of us treat our walk with Christ like a ship in a harbor? We tie it down securely to the dock so that it won’t go anywhere. Since we’re never actually out in the water on our ship, many people don’t even know that we have this boat. We visit it at the harbor every so often just to make sure it’s still there, but don’t bother going inside and wiping off the accumulating dust or inviting someone in to help us clean it up. Oh and don’t even bother asking how to maneuver the ship at sea because it’s never left its post. There’s a manual somewhere in the Captain’s Quarters but who has time in their busy day to read that?
It’s time to leave the harbor.
God did not create us to live safe lives where we half-heartedly say that we love Jesus, turn an apathetic blind eye towards the globally persecuted Church, and go on with our busy day. It is my prayer that the World Race transforms my convenient, gentle faith into a bold and spontaneous weapon in His battle. He can use us ALL, no matter what country we are following Him in, to be brave soldiers in His army. Jesus has already defeated Satan, but He hasn’t destroyed him. And the enemy is constantly roaming, looking for weak spots to hurt us and tear away our hearts from the Lord’s. But he will not win! I am confident that as more and more Christians allow their ships to leave the harbor, the entire earth will soon flourish with the Gospel, and God will smile and say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
For me, that means preparing to leave the home that I love, the people who I cherish, the job that gives me joy, and the familiarity of my boxed-in routine. Some people do not understand why I’m following Jesus around the world and participating in the World Race, and that’s okay! It’s just the way right now that He is calling me to leave my ship from its harbor. Does that mean every Christ follower should up and leave their home and travel the globe, spreading the hope of Jesus? Nope. It doesn’t. But is every Christ follower called to take up their cross, share His name, and live for Him? Yep. They are.
I encourage you to step out with a little boldness and watch how God will use it. Start with the small things if you need to. I personally spend too much time scrolling on my phone while I’m laying in bed in the morning, trying to pep talk myself into leaving the warmth of my blankets. It has gotten so bad that it’s an actual hindrance in my relationship with Jesus. So two weeks ago I decided to say, “Not today Satan!” I substituted my morning phone scrolling time with reading from a daily devotional book. Man oh man, has it already greatly impacted my spiritual walk! I now love beginning my days with scripture and prayer, putting on the armor of God, so that I can tackle whatever the day throws at me. Try to pinpoint that thing, that person, that issue that is tying your ship down to the harbor. Earnestly ask the Lord to untie the knots in the rope and set your ship free!
Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
