Being a Christian is not always easy. Our faith is constantly tested. Our beliefs are constantly questioned. Our character is constantly put under a magnifying glass. Some people think we are crazy and that we are just holding onto something that doesn’t actually exist. Some people think we are judgmental of those who do not believe the way we do. A lot of people don’t even understand what we believe or why we believe it. And sometimes that can get frustrating. How can people be so wrong about Christians? How can they view Christianity in such a negative light? How come they don’t want to jump on board and celebrate God’s grace with us? The answers to these questions aren’t all that hard to come by. Look around you. Here we are in 2016 America and things are pretty rough- scary, even. There are ruthless acts of violence, there’s lawlessness, there’s an attack on authority, there’s a racial divide, there are senseless murders, there’s ISIS, and there’s an election that ultimately seems like the end of the world regardless of the outcome. Evil is everywhere. Sometimes it’s in our cities or our states. Sometimes it’s even in our homes and our hearts. But here’s the problem, Christians, what are we doing about it? What are we saying about it? And how are we reacting to it?

Our job as Christians is to love.
The word of God tells us many times to love one another, just as He loves us. We should love the person who believes differently than us. We should love the person who hurts us. We should love the woman who’s jeopardized our national security, the African American protester, and the football player who sits for the national anthem. In today’s world, that’s not always easy to do. Sometimes we are quick to speak or react on emotion. But we must always remember that we are here to love. And that’s it.

We are not to judge.
We have to accept that not everyone believes in our God, which means they are going to act in ways that are much different than us. They are going to post things on Facebook that we disagree with and that might make our blood boil. They are going to use vulgar language and engage in sinful behavior. They are going to make wrong choices. But we are not to judge them. That is not our job, but His.

We should be a light.
In a world of darkness, we should be the ones standing out. People should look at us and smile. They should feel at peace when around us. Strangers should feel welcomed by us. We should lend a hand where a hand is needed. We should be overflowing with joy and love. But most of all, we should speak God’s love to others. They should know of His mercy and grace. It is our job as Christians to save the unsaved, so that they too can live a life of peace regardless of the havoc that’s happening around us.

We should not live in fear.
It’s easy to be a little shook up after watching the evening news nowadays. We’re watching our police officers be attacked and disrespected by ‘black lives matter’ activists. We’re watching innocent lives be taken. We’re watching mass murders unfold in our own country. We’re watching our world fall apart. But here’s what we as Christians must remember: we can’t avoid the storm. It’s inevitable. But we can prevent it from affecting our lives. All hell could be breaking loose (which, quite frankly, it is) and we should be able to stand tall in the middle of it and not be swayed. We cannot allow all that’s happening to ignite fear in us. The devil is a liar. God is still on the throne and His promises have us covered.

Pray.
There are a lot of things happening in the world that even we as Christians do not understand. There’s simply not an answer to why a father would brutally murder his whole family or why ISIS is decapitating children. But all we can do is pray. Pray for those who are sick with cancer to be healed. Pray for those who are battling depression to overcome it. Pray for those who are grieving the loss of loved ones. Pray that God intervenes in the lives that need His love and grace. Pray that more people turn to Him in their times of need. Pray that all evil be stopped. Pray for America and its future. This world and the people in it need prayer now more than ever, and it is our job of Christians to spend time in prayer every single day.

We are Christians living in a non-Christian world. There’s no doubt about it. Everywhere we look there is sin and evil. The devil is having a field day with today’s society. We are watching our world crumble right before our eyes. And it’s easy to allow the devil to get in our heads. But if there’s one thing that this world needs, it’s God. And it’s our job as Christians to allow Him to show Himself through us, so that the rest of the world can be saved.