The Quiet Before the Storm

Last week I heard someone make the statement that we, as Christians, in the time our country needs us most, are lying down. I was like, wow seriously? In the past couple years, since our country came under a new government, I have seen people stand up for their homeland more than I ever have before. We as Americans have the right to stand up for ourselves and speak freely and many of us are. Those who do not include themselves in this “us” or “we” I guess are content to see our country in the state it’s in: destructive.

The fact that someone would say that Christians are lying down in the time our country needs us most appalls me. Our leaders are allowing a mosque to be built one-tenth of a mile from Ground Zero, but American Christians are sitting down and waiting for the architectural plans to be drawn up; they’re (we’re) revolting. Rallies have been held opposing this mosque. Some positive, some negative, but rallies opposing the mosque, nonetheless. As I have a friend who worked in the South tower of the World Trade Center and was in the building when the terrorist attacks took place on September 11 and nearly lost her life that day, I have very strong feelings about this mosque being built so close to Ground Zero. Yes, the men who were piloting those planes were Muslim, but are all Muslims bad? No, they are not. In fact, most of these people are upstanding citizens in our country and theirs, but with the fact that the men who are responsible for murdering thousands of Americans were Muslim, I find it difficult to embrace this worship center being placed there. We are a country of freedom. Free speech, free religion, etc, but Ground Zero is a haunting place for all Americans, but especially for the men and women who were there that day and suffered. I cannot imagine what that day was like for them, horrifying to say the least. And now, to put a Mosque, in the place where so many Americans had their lives taken from them? To put the worship center of those piloting the planes in back door of the burial grounds of thousands? We’re supposed to stand for that and be silent? You see, the issue of the Mosque is a large issue, but as we are a country that stands for freedom, we cannot do much about that right now. The issue here is the placement of the building. Why in a place such as this?

We are slowly letting out country go down the drain. We have no morals anymore. We’re beginning to accept things that 20 years ago we would have never accepted. We’re beginning to let leaders that should have never been placed there, lead our country and in leading it, they are destroying everything our country has been built on.

Speaking for myself, I am not sitting down. I am not lying down. I am not backing down. I am not embracing what our country is becoming. As one person though, what can I do? Herein lies the problem. This is the mindset so many Americans have. I am not simply one person. There are millions out there that believe exactly the way I do, but we feel like we can do nothing as one individual, but in reality… we’re millions with one mindset.

I do not feel that as Christians we can sit back and see our country continue the way it is now. If we do, in ten years our country will no longer be what it was meant to be.. I feel that as Christians the best thing we can do is pray. I know that is the spiritual answer, but in all honestly, what else is there to do that is more powerful? Causing turmoil is only going to harm the country more, the most peaceful option we have is to pray; for our citizens, for our leaders, and for God’s divine will to be done here. I do not feel that Christians are being quiet in this time. I think people believe that Christians should be infuriated by the things going on within our borders and we are, but we do not handle things in the ways that non-Christians do. Christians do not fight fire with fire. When I was young my dad taught me the phrase “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar” and I have laughed at that statement so many times, but there is so much truth in it. We cannot make changes to our country if we are causing more pandemonium. Plain and simple. We are not being quiet, we are trusting in One bigger than ourselves. We are trusting that He has a plan and a reason for everything that is happening here and that in His perfect timing, He will make the proper changes.

I heard a song the other day while driving home from school and two short lines brought about this entire blogpost. The lyrics were “We won't stop 'til we see the morning. So welcome to the quiet before the storm hits.” These two lines stirred up so many things in me. Okay, maybe the people are right. Maybe we are quiet, but we know we don’t have to cause chaos to see God’s will. The storm will hit regardless. I think the word storm brings about negative thoughts, but what if the word storm isn’t negative? What if it’s positive? What if the storm is a mass outpouring of the Holy Spirit? What if this outpouring is poured upon the United States? Perhaps we are doing the right thing but not speaking out and causing more mayhem within the country. Perhaps the storm is in God’s hands and we are doing exactly what He wants from us, by simply sitting back and letting Him take care of us.

To listen to the song written about above, click here. =)