When Discontent is the Right Thing

It started with a single video, and not a one of us wanted to believe what we were seeing and hearing. Then, one after another, more videos were released and truth hit us squarely right between the eyes.

I’ve never had an abortion, so I can’t speak for the women who have; however, I can speak to Christians who are called to be like Jesus. We must open our hearts, arms, and lives to the men and women who need to be loved, restored, and supported. We must not break their bruised souls. We must not snuff out the smoldering embers of their faith.

Yes, my heart breaks for the aborted babies and it breaks for their mommies, daddies, grandmas and grandpas, and everyone else who has been blindsided by the reality of the shocking truths these videos have exposed.

My heart breaks when Christians are afraid to offer help for fear of inadvertently offending someone or being thought to have an agenda.

And, yes, sometimes we do say and do the wrong things. Without knowing it we have unintentionally pressed women with secrets into the dark, back alleys of the church. We have established our perfect Sunday facades as a standard of holiness to which no one can attain. And with our not-so-well-thought-out comments regarding other congregants we have created an atmosphere of judgment in the church. Shame on us.

As I scan Social Media newsfeeds, I see terrified women beginning to speak out; women who have carried their secret for too long and now desire to be the voice of experience to prevent another abortion. These women say they must do this even though they fear judgment and condemnation by their family and Christian friends.

Christians, we must let go of our desire to condemn sin as we point hurting people to the Healer of their souls. We must trust that the Holy Spirit will identify every sin personally and individually, just as He does with every Christian.

Moreover, if we are sincere about loving our brothers and sisters, we must respond with gentleness when the person who shares their secret with us is our daughter, sister, niece, neighbor, the woman standing beside us in the choir, the man sitting next to us in the pew or the couple kneeling alongside us in the prayer meeting.

Christians, we must not remain content in our naiveté or our complacency. We must not remain content in our blindness. We must not remain content in our judgmental or condemning attitudes and habits.

This is not a time to drag people through the blood and the mud of their past. This is not the time for holier than thou piety. This is not the time to try to wring out a confession or demand explanations.

This is the time to love unconditionally. To wrap loving arms and ceaseless prayers around our sisters, mothers, brothers, fathers and friends who are staggering under the weight of the consequences of their past choices.

This is a time to comfort the broken hearted with God’s love. This is the time to bind their wounds with the truth that sets them free. This is the time to answer questions about forgiveness of sin and cleansing of guilt and shame. This is the time for healing to begin.

We must not be content to watch these videos and try to justify them or blame others. We must not be content to sit in our living rooms and click “like” on vitriolic comments from people on “our side”. We must not be content to leave the responsibility of reaching out to the living victims of abortion to our pastors and priests in their Sunday sermons. We must not remain content in our comfort zones.

This is a time that calls for discontent: discontent with misplaced judgment, condemnation, complacency, silence, and fear.

Christians, we must be the light in the darkness that shines for Jesus and points the way to Him. We are the ones whose hands Jesus will use to wipe away the tears that keep the crying soul from seeing Him. We are the ones through whom he will pour his love into the people who feel unloved. We are the ones he will use to draw desperate people into forgiveness, reconciliation and wholeness.

This is also a time that calls for discontent with the cultural status quo. We must do all that we can to educate women about options other than abortion. We must step up and help women who feel abandoned and alone. We must stand against abortion while at the same time we stand alongside our sisters and brothers who are broken because of it.

There are people in your sphere of influence who have abortion in their past. Will you ask God to use you to show his love to them? Will you ask God what you need to do or not do, say or not say so that you are a place of safety for an aching soul? Then, will you point them to Jesus and trust that he will point out their sin?

Click here for week 1 — “Not That One, That One!”
Click here for week 2 — “Contentment Defined!”
Click here for week 3 — Tool #1: “Search The Heart”
Click here for week 4 — Tool #2: “Remember That Life Is Short”
Click here for week 5 — Tool #3: “Listen To Your Words”
Click here for week 6 — Tool #4: “Compare Wisely”
Click here for week 7 — Tool #5: “Live Out Your Faith”
Click here for week 8 — Tool #6: “Enjoy Your Pasture”
Click here for week 9 — Tool #7 “The Promises of God”
Click here for week 10 — “When Discontent is the Right Thing”
Click here for week 11 — “In Defense of Discontent”
Click here for week 12 — “Breaking Bad: The Danger of Discontent”
Click here for week 13 – What’s Next