Stephen Strang: Can All Things Work Together for Good in America Today?
The subject of cancel culture is not some faddish ideology we can expect to vanish on its own. Rather, many Americans, and especially Christians, can see that our rights are being taken away. We are experiencing cancellation, and many of us can see for the first time that we are dealing with communism in the country we have always believed was the land of the free and the home of the brave.
God’s Plan
My question is, where is God in all this? I believe in an omniscient, omnipotent God. None of this caught Him by surprise. He has plans and purposes greater than anything we can understand. He knows the beginning from the end. Scripture lets us know there will be hard times before the end of the age. There will be the rise of a strong leader who promises to bring peace. The book of 1 John calls him the Antichrist. There will be terrible wars culminating in the Battle of Armageddon. But ultimately Jesus triumphs and ushers in a millennium of peace, during which every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. I remember Bob Mumford saying in the seventies, “I’ve read the back of the book, and we win.”
Is this simplistic thinking? Nonbelievers may say it is. Many don’t believe it and would rather mock what the Bible says. But we know God’s Word is true—all of it, no matter what the haters and would-be cancelers of Christianity say. There have been many attempts to stamp out Christianity, and these attempts have always failed. They will fail this time too.
One Scripture that comforts me is, “All things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His purposes” (Rom. 8:28).
If we believe God’s Word, we must believe that promise, even if things look worse in the natural with each passing day.
My main concern continues to be that Christians will retreat, become silent and self-censor, going along with the tide of events. If we’re despondent and fatalistic and do nothing, then those wanting to cancel our godly heritage and outlaw biblical values win.
Wake Up and Speak Up
Many Christians who were previously complacent are more passionate for God than ever. We see the glimmers of a great revival. Americans are waking up and speaking up—and the cultural bullies and government overlords are beginning to notice.
I’ve talked with leaders who are making a difference and offering insights and strategy. But it’s not just their battle—it’s yours and mine too. None of us can afford to be a mere spectator.
The problems we face are not new. They aren’t just the result of social media fact-checkers or socialists winning political office. They go deeper than that.
While we can’t change the past, each of us has a role in changing the future. It starts with changing ourselves—confessing our own passivity and sin. Training our children in the right way to live. Influencing our congregations and communities. Getting involved in government, media, academia and the other mountains of influence in our society. And praying and believing God to work a miracle and to send revival and save America, not judge it.
Whether or not things change overnight—or change differently than we expect—we can rest assured that God has a plan and that indeed “all things work together for good.” {eoa}
Stephen E. Strang is the bestselling author of God and Donald Trump. The founder and CEO of Charisma Media, Strang was voted by Time magazine as one of the 25 most influential evangelicals in America. He has interviewed four U.S. presidents and has been featured on Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, CBN, Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk and the DailyCaller.com and in many Christian outlets.
God and Cancel Culture is published by FrontLine, an imprint of Charisma House, which has published books that challenge, encourage, teach and equip Christians, including 15 New York Times bestsellers.
The book will be available in hardcover, paperback and e-book formats. God and Cancel Culture is set to publish on Sept. 7, and you can pre-order it on stevestrangbooks.com. When you do, you’ll get $120 worth of free gifts, including four e-books and a subscription to Charisma magazine. {eoa}
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