Introduction
As I write this, I find myself being pulled in two directions. On one hand, I am becoming increasingly aware of how blessed I am to live in America. On the other, I am becoming more conscious of the hardships many Christians endure in countries around the world. This contrast has led me to feel ashamed of my own ungodly attitudes and behavior, as well as my lack of gratitude for the circumstances God has given me.
Scripture tells us that “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). The Bible contains many similar promises. Too often, however, they remain only words—good words that we want to hear, claim for ourselves, and share with those who need encouragement. That is certainly worthwhile, but we often still fail to grasp their full meaning.
When we study these passages, we discover truths so profound that they stretch our understanding. We can comprehend them only through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, and even then, many of us understand only a small part of what God is revealing. I am only now beginning to recognize this reality.
Deep within my spirit, I sense that the Lord is willing and able to do far more for us than we can imagine. He can move mountains and send multitudes of angels to our aid. He creates, transforms, builds, comforts, spends time with us, and blesses us abundantly. He does these things for nations, for peoples, and for individuals. He delights in our fellowship, just as we find joy in fellowship with Him.
God takes great pleasure in caring for His children. When we read His Word with open hearts, we find this truth woven throughout Scripture:
“His divine power has granted to us everything that pertains to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” 2 Peter 1:3–4, ESV
The West
What I have written above has been deeply shaped by my Christian upbringing in America. It reflects the way many people think within Western Christian cultures, where life often fits into neat and orderly categories. Although some of us may face opposition or persecution because of our faith, it is rarely comparable to the suffering endured by believers in many other parts of the world.
We are blessed to have been born where we are. We should recognize that blessing and respond with genuine gratitude.
In America and other nations where Christian values have historically influenced society, many of us lack very little. In Christ, what do we truly need? I have many wants, but few genuine needs—perhaps none that God cannot ultimately provide.
Of course, many people suffer from serious health conditions, financial hardship, family struggles, and other burdens. Yet these are universal human needs; people face them in every nation and culture. When a need remains unmet—whether temporarily or for an extended season—I must ask myself: What might God be teaching me through what I do not have? What lesson is He inviting me to learn?
If I refuse to ask such questions and simply respond with constant grumbling, what does that reveal about my faith?
At times, our attitude in the West concerns me, and I believe it needs correction. We may see God moving powerfully in the lives of others and immediately ask, “What about us? What about me?” We want His help, and we want it now.
How should we understand the message of 1 Peter 3:4 in light of this? This is not necessarily selfishness. We are concerned with our own salvation because God is working in us personally. The Greek word sōzō, often translated as “salvation,” carries a much broader meaning than simply gaining entrance into heaven after death. It can refer to being saved, healed, made whole, delivered, protected, or rescued from danger and destruction, depending on the context.
“…but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” 1 Peter 3:4
God’s salvation concerns every part of our lives—our spirits, minds, bodies, relationships, and circumstances. I pray for others and sincerely desire their salvation, but I must also ask what God’s saving work means in me, here and now.
If I am not allowing Christ to transform and restore me, how can I effectively serve others? My concern for my own spiritual condition should not be rooted in selfishness, but in stewardship. I cannot give what I have not received, nor can I faithfully point others toward wholeness while resisting God’s work in my own life.
Scripture does show that God sometimes uses individuals and even nations as instruments of correction or examples to others. But that should humble us, not become our ambition. Our desire should be to receive God’s grace, obey His commandments, grow in holiness, and become useful vessels for His purposes.
The salvation Christ offers is not merely a promise for the future. It is also His transforming, healing, protecting, and delivering work in us today.
The East and the Developing World
When I look at the history and present circumstances of nations beyond America, I see drought, famine, poverty, hunger, disease, and the destructive forces of nature. I find myself asking, “Where is God?”
Yet when I look more closely, I also see idolatry, witchcraft, immorality, injustice, and unrighteousness woven into many levels of society. India, Indonesia, and nations across Africa may serve as examples—not because their people are uniquely sinful, but because these realities exist in every culture and nation.
I see people who appear to be living outside God’s will—people to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed, yet who have not received or embraced it. The world feels compassion for them. Should I? Certainly, I should have compassion for those who are faithful and suffering. But how should I understand the suffering of those who reject God?
These issues are not merely matters of “sticks and stones.” They reflect a genuine spiritual battle affecting individuals, communities, and nations. Scripture teaches that our struggle is not ultimately against people, but against spiritual powers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12).
I pray for those who are afflicted, and I give what I can to help those in need. Scripture calls us to care for the vulnerable and to respond with mercy, justice, and generosity. At the same time, we must remember the biblical order of creation and redemption. First Corinthians 15:46 says, “It is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual.” This reminds us that human beings have physical needs as well as spiritual ones. We must care for both.
These realities test my conscience. How should I understand the suffering of people who seem to live in God-forsaken nations? How do I reconcile the Word of God with the darkness I see in the world?
The answer begins with prayer—for the afflicted, for the nations, and for personal understanding. In a dark world, I must continue looking for the hope and light found in God.
The Same, Yet Different
Christians throughout the world worship the same God. We have also all fallen into sin, for “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Yet the burdens, hardships, and expectations people face can be very different. Some appear to endure far greater trials than others.
Apart from outright disobedience to God’s Word, the circumstances of our lives remain within His sovereign purpose. We may not understand why one person suffers more than another or why one nation faces hardships that another seems to escape. We all desire an easy gospel and a trouble-free life, but Scripture does not promise either.
God’s purposes are His purposes, and His ways are His ways. We may understand some of them, while others remain beyond our comprehension. Full understanding will not come until we stand in His presence.
“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” —1 Corinthians 13:12
Until that day, we are called to trust God, obey His Word, resist evil, show compassion, proclaim the Gospel, and remain faithful—even when we do not understand what we see.
Sticks and Stones
“Sticks and stones” can represent the trials and tribulations we encounter in affluent societies—not only in America, but throughout much of the developed world. These trials can be part of the process God uses to lead us toward abundant living.
Yet many of us feel as though we are living on the wrong side of a miracle. In some ways, perhaps we are. We may be experiencing more trials than blessings, or at least it may seem that way. But are we sometimes blind to the blessings already surrounding us?
I believe we are.
Many of us live in America, where we enjoy an abundance of resources and opportunities compared with people in many parts of the world. We need to learn to recognize and count our blessings rather than overlook them—and we should do so with thanksgiving.
The greater truth, however, is that we are still being transformed. In our present state, our natural, nonspiritual thinking tells us that life should somehow even out—that our blessings should balance our troubles, and that the scales should eventually become equal. But this is not necessarily God’s way of thinking. His purposes reach far beyond our immediate circumstances.
By faith, we believe that whatever God does, He does for our ultimate good, regardless of where we live or what circumstances surround us. His plans are not limited to the brief span of our earthly lives. We must learn to see them from an eternal perspective—plans that encompass both heaven and earth, this present life and eternity. Wow.
I have heard it said that if we do not fear God, we may become afraid of Him and draw away from Him. A related thought is explored in John Bevere’s book, The Fear of the Lord: fear and reverence for God draw us toward Him rather than driving us away.
It is by the will of God that we are made holy. Yet our will—what we commonly call our “free will”—can resist the work God desires to accomplish in us. God does not force us to obey Him. Our responsibility is to seek His will, understand it, and faithfully walk in it. Sadly, we can also see nations and individuals yielding themselves to influences that are contrary to God’s purposes.
We want to be the strong man, the strong nation—the lion that overcomes the devil and all his cohorts. Yet Scripture reminds us that, in the end, it is the Lamb who triumphs, not the Lion.
We must live our lives for God’s glory and according to His purposes, trusting Him even when we cannot see an immediate benefit for ourselves. We must lean toward Him rather than away from Him, especially when circumstances tempt us to doubt. This is God’s plan, not ours. This is where faith enters: trust and obey anyway. Revelation 3:10 describes this as patient endurance:
“Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.” ESV
Change
We know that we must change. That is the essence of transformation, and it begins with forgiveness.
Our Christian life begins with forgiveness. John the Baptist and others proclaimed the message, “Repent.” Before transformation can take root, we must acknowledge our need for God’s mercy and turn toward Him.
I have written about forgiveness in greater detail in my previous post, Forgiveness. To read this paper, click here: But forgiveness is not the end of the journey. God desires a changed heart. So when does that change happen?
Peter gives us a powerful picture:
“And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” — 2 Peter 1:19
The “morning star” points us to Christ. This passage is often understood in connection with Christ’s return. Yet there is also a deeply personal truth here: unless Christ and His Spirit rise within our hearts, we will struggle to see His promises clearly or experience the fullness of His joy.
Transformation begins within where we must be aware of religious spirits and prophetic words we hear from well meaning individuals including Chrisians.
A Religious Spirit
Many of us can slip into what might be called a religious spirit. I see this frequently: people use God’s Word to accomplish their own will and satisfy their own desires rather than seeking His will.
This can happen especially in prayer. We may quote Scripture selectively, treating biblical promises as though they were formulas for getting what we want. But prayer is not a way to manipulate God. It is an invitation to align our hearts with Him.
When we approach God with our own agenda and simply attach Scripture to it, we should not be surprised when our prayers are not answered in the way we expect. The goal is not to make God conform to our will. The goal is to conform our will to His.
His Prophetic Word
Christ’s prophetic Word, as revealed in Scripture, can be trusted. The words spoken by modern-day prophets, however, must be carefully examined and judged. We must learn to distinguish between those who truly speak from God and those who merely claim to speak for God.
The Church has wrestled with this question throughout its history. For example, the Roman Catholic Church has historically taught a particular form of papal authority, including the doctrine of papal infallibility under defined circumstances. I do not accept the idea that any human being possesses Christ’s authority in an unlimited sense. We may speak words of wisdom from God but never for God.
My point is simple: we must be discerning when anyone claims special spiritual authority.
Scripture—not the personality, position, or confidence of the speaker—must remain our standard.
The Mind
The mind is a powerful thing. It can make you feel like a king or a pauper. It can influence how you perceive your circumstances, your possibilities, and even your own identity. Our thoughts can affect us physically and emotionally; this is part of what is commonly described as the psychosomatic connection between mind and body. We can dream of abundance and purpose, or we can become trapped in discouragement, fear, and despair. But there is something greater than positive thinking: the renewing work of the Holy Spirit. Biblical transformation is not simply a matter of telling ourselves that everything will be wonderful. It is learning to think according to God’s truth. Jesus said:
“The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
— Luke 6:45
What fills the heart eventually finds its way into our words and actions. Therefore, we should guard what we allow to occupy our minds and hearts. We should fill them with God’s truth, gratitude, faith, hope, and love.
Conclusion
To receive all that God has promised, we must become what He is shaping us to be rather than conforming to what we presently see in ourselves or around us. Jesus said:
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” — Matthew 6:22–23 (RSV)
Our perspective matters. What we focus on shapes how we experience the world. If we constantly focus on what is missing, we may fail to recognize what God has already provided. If we focus on His faithfulness, we begin to see even our trials through the lens of His greater purposes.
The entire Bible was given for our instruction, encouragement, correction, and hope. Some call it a “Love Book,” and rightly so. At its heart is the story of God’s love for humanity and His desire to reconcile us to Himself.
When we believe with a transformed heart, we begin to experience the fruit of that transformation. We become better equipped to endure seasons of “sticks and stones.” We begin to see the character of Christ developing within us. We learn to recognize blessings that we once overlooked. And we discover a joy that circumstances alone cannot provide.
Most importantly, we can rest in this truth: God has done everything necessary for our salvation, even giving His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross and pay a price we could never pay ourselves.
Our circumstances may change. Our blessings may look different from one season to another. Trials will come. But God remains faithful. Remember this:
“For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever. Psalms 9:18 ESV
So let us count our blessings. Let us give thanks. Let us seek His will rather than impose our own. Let us trust Him, for ourselves and others, when we cannot understand Him. Let us endure patiently when the road becomes difficult.
And above all, let us keep our eyes fixed on Christ. The “sticks and stones” may come.
But they do not have the final word.
Enough Said
“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16 ESV
