A Life in Exile

I love my Bible study group. We go deep into God’s Word and are real with each other. Maybe it’s because we’re women “of a certain age,” but I love the transparency of these sisters in Christ. I wish everyone could be as open and honest as they are with their stuff of life.

We were talking last week about how the Apostle Peter encourages us to endure suffering because of the hope that we have in Christ. A good lesson for the days we’re living, and one friend even shared a true-life experience to illustrate the truth.

That’s when I got to explain cancel culture, a new term in our vocabularies, and how it’s being used to destroy lives before due process or any process is able to work.

Since that time, I’ve been thinking about this phenomena and how it works for us as Christ Followers. So, I turned back to those words from Peter:

It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. *

If I’m “cancelled” for doing evil, then I deserve it, but am I willing to be “cancelled” or slandered for doing good?

Who’s my example in this? Obviously Christ.

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.*

However, God had the last word on that one, didn’t he? They thought they had gotten rid of Christ, let the Romans’ do their dirty work to rid the area of that pesty preacher, but God reinstated through the resurrection what the world had cancelled.

That was Christ — not me. What if they attack me, accuse me, cancel me?

At this point, I remember the words of Joseph, from long, long ago:

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”*

When attacks come, we have to look beyond the immediate pain to trust God to use it for his ultimate good.

Anyway, I’m already cancelled for Christ!

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.*

I don’t belong to this world, and it’s definitely not my eternal home. My identity, my security and hope is in Christ. Heaven is my destination. That ticket can never be cancelled!

Our dear teacher showed us a moving video that brought the nonsense of this culture into perspective, as we listened to testimonies from believers around the world who are truly being persecuted and killed for their faith in Christ. Their heartbreaking stories served to make me want to stand even stronger for my Savior.

I will not be moved! I will not be shaken. I will not be cancelled!

He is my peace, my shield, my portion and deliverer! May he be yours as well.

Grace and Peace

*1 Peter 3:17 (NIV)

*1 Peter 3:18.

*Genesis 50:20.

Galatians 2:20.