Stephan Pretorius
We are living in times of a “new normal”, where spiritual battle manifest in the form of racism and hate all over the world – from micro to macro levels. In addition, this has also been evident in a health pandemic that killed, destroyed hope and countless people in financial despair. This is how a future history book will describe 2020. This is a world where economists are predicting aggravating hardships; environmentalists are extremely concerned about natural disasters, amplified by global warming; international political instability is increasing, and people feel ever more insecure.
The question is: is this so unique? Or is this only one side of a continuous abnormal normality?!
Your lens determines your reality. Therefore, we must SEE in the SPIRITUAL REALITY to have a broader perspective on our global situation – and my experience is, if you are able to do this, it leads to a POSITION of REST amidst unrest!!
We struggle with this perspective from day to day, yet somehow find it is easier to have a spiritual perspective looking back in history to a world reigning 3000 years ago. In his description of the world situation in Psalm 46, David declares that the nations rage, kingdoms totter and wars cover the total earth! Even nature experienced turmoil as the waters would roar and mountains tremble. ‘The 2020’ is nothing new – it is just our understanding of the physical reality that is challenged!
The perspective we need is what King David saw in the SPIRITUAL REALITY, 3000 years ago:
- GOD is our refuge and strength on a very practical level in the midst of all the trouble, that is the basis of NO FEAR. Do not ever allow fear in your heart, even if we see extraordinary things happening around us (like mountains moved into the heart of the sea!!)
- There is a PROMISE: God’s Spirit is flowing like a river flowing to a city. If we avail ourselves, the PRESENCE of GOD will flow through us like a river – we are the HABITATION of God on earth, the CITY of GOD!
- The SPIRITUAL REALITY is that GOD is in our midst, and this reality makes us unmovable, unshakable – through God’s help! God is the “fortress” of our protection!
Within this reality, we can live according to GOD’s Instruction in Psa 46:10: “Be still and know that I am GOD!! I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth!”
The truth is – if we apply the WORD of GOD on a day to day basis, on a very practical level in our lives; it will assist us to discern thoughts from our inner being and see the Spiritual reality instead of the physical contradictions around us (Hebr 4:12/13). This will bring us in a POSITION OF REST amidst the unrest around us!!
I want to use the famous words by Forrest Gump: “And that’s all I have to say about that”…
