Many years ago, when I was a young bride, my husband and I were arguing A LOT. And when we argued, he was quite mean (as I recall, I was quite reasonable and presented logical, clearly stated defenses of my position! LOL). I was tired of fighting with him, but I just KNEW that he was wrong. He needed to change several things he was doing and I was not going to "let it rest".

Finally, in desperation, I asked an older woman for advice. She gave me a book about marriage which she said would change my whole perspective. I eagerly sat down to read the book. Only, the first chapter was all about how I needed to learn to see my husband the way God sees him and to learn to understand his perspective.

The book made me so mad that I literally threw it across the room and then in the trash! My hubby was so clearly wrong, I didn’t need to consider his side. I just needed him to change.

So we continued to argue. Until I changed my prayer life from “change him” to help me understand him and help us work together.

I think America is in the same place.

The Bible teaches in 2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Take, for instance, the gun control issue. There are basically two sides:

If there are no guns, there won’t be any gun violence.

Or

You can’t control lawbreakers with more laws.

And believe it or not, both sides have valid points. Both sides really deep down want the same thing: no more gun violence.

So why are we in such a passionate, heated grid-lock?

I suggest that we look more closely at the plea from 2 Chronicles.

The Bible says that if God’s people-not everyone else. If you claim to follow him, don’t point the finger at everyone else who doesn’t believe, this verse is for YOU.

HUMBLE YOURSELF- uggh. Way to start with the hard stuff God. This is the point where I want to throw something, only my Bible is on my phone… ”Everyone else is wrong. Did you even see how stupid and insulting what they wrote on FB was? Why am I the one that needs humility?”

I know it’s hard. Trust me!!! But God wants his people to lead the way in peace MAKING, and change. We can’t do that if we are proud and full of vices. The only way to check that is to sit before God and ask, “Where do I need to change?”

And if you are like the majority of American Christians, I can just guess that you need to humble yourself in the way you see people who disagree with you. Maybe they are wrong, but they are still loved by God and God longs for us to love and understand them.

And maybe, just maybe, you are obnoxious and divisive in the way you share your political opinions. Maybe you are completely right but you assume such terrible things about those who disagree with you that your every political comment is condescending. Maybe you are completely right and just, but your arrogance is keeping people from hearing your wisdom and is deepening the divide and the hurt in our country.

The only way you can know and change, is to humble yourself before God and ask him!

SEEK HIM If you are counting yourself with him, then stop pointing your finger at everyone else, and SEEK him. Listen, beg him to make his presence known and understood. Search for him. Don’t settle for weak Sunday morning rituals, truly seek to know him and hear from him!

I am sure that God loves our nation (and all the others). He grieves for the hurt in our land. He longs for people to know him. We need to hear his heart and truly join him.

Quit using your prayer time to list commands, or “requests” to God from your agenda. Truly seek him!

(From my experience, if all you hear is validation of what you already thought, you probably aren’t seeking God. God lovingly confronts areas where we need to grow and change and gives us the ability to be better.)

Turn from your wicked ways… Generally, when I think of wicked, I think of some evil character on Game of Thrones torturing people for fun. Then, I feel pretty good about myself. I don’t have any “wicked ways”. But truthfully, God considers wickedness more than just doing terrible things. The Bible talks about wickedness also as not caring about injustice, not seeking to make the world better, being unfair…basically any way that you misrepresent God in this world.

You know those people who disagree with you on politics? It is wicked to talk about them like they are not valuable human beings. Spreading hate towards any group of people is wicked.

49 “‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.50 They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore, I did away with them as you have seen. Ezekiel 16

So I beg all of you, don’t “just pray”. Humble yourself. Seek him. Confront what needs to be changed in your life. And let’s beg God to heal this land!!

Blessings my friends! Thanks for reading and sharing!

Cindy

The Real Real Reason "Just"Praying Won't Change Anything

Why Can't I Calm Down?

Christian Myths & Stuff You Aren't Supposed to Talk About!