The number of things that I have seen has hit its peak in responding to the relief efforts in Ukraine.
“Our fight is not against flesh or blood” (Ephesians 6:12). So, regardless of the level of evil, our fight as Christians remains the same. What I am learning is that my responsibility is to be a servant regardless of the environment that I am in or how hopeless things seem.
I don’t see this world getting better but maybe my view is tainted after choosing to go to places where evil has such an upper hand, or maybe it’s from being exposed to so much in over 22 years of ministry. I don’t mind this expression at all: “I want to leave this world in a better place than I found it.” However, I am writing this after responding to 3 years of relief efforts in Ukraine. I find myself, along with so many others, in an uphill battle with no guarantee of a positive outcome. I don’t want to come off as all doom and gloom but is my (our) Christian life and efforts still worth it even if we see evil persisting and, dare I say, thriving in the overall world? Are we called to serve Jesus Christ with the life he has given us even if the state of the world is not better than when we found it?
I am going to be honest with myself and those reading this; I don’t know for sure that I would be able to make it in this line of ministry if I didn’t know that our God wins in the end. I think this is where I have drawn some strength to keep pushing and fighting against the evils of this world. It’s not up to me to win the war since Jesus did that for us on the cross…. but it’s in the battles we fight as Christians and the perseverance required to endure.
My purpose in writing is not to discourage but to encourage others who feel that the daily fight is not worth it. The impact of evil is completely overwhelming in what we have experienced in this war, but as servants of God we can take pride in joining others who fought the good fight regardless of the outcome. This is what we are called to do as Christians in the place he has asked us to serve, regardless of the outcome of the individual battles. This may look different for each person but what isn’t different is the fight; we fight against the evils of this world and the place the church has in it.
“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Evil will not prevail over us and I, being part of that church, will not stop this fight until I have crossed that finish line to where my hope is, when I will hear Him say “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
The good news is that it is “…. the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).
