Being a Christian anywhere is hard. India is no exception. In fact, it can be harder than most places because of the lack of religious tolerance and the increasing persecution of Christians. Families do not understand why someone would follow Jesus. Castes reject the new believer. Employers turn their backs. Following God’s call often means others won’t understand. In fact, sometimes God’s call on our lives isn’t understood other Christians.
That certainly is what happened to Mary and Joseph. They were ordinary people from an obscure Galilean town. Yet God’s will for them was something that brought rejection and persecution because no one understood. Difficulties and struggles when we follow God’s will for our lives. That doesn’t mean we are going in the wrong direction. They do not mean God isn’t near or behind us. Sometimes God calls us to do things that don’t make sense even to us. I see that in my life sometimes. I see it in the lives of others, in the USA and in India. God would never lead us contrary to His written Word, so as long as that isn’t happening, who are we to judge what God has others do?
Sometimes God’s leading in my life doesn’t make sense – like spending a month in India at age 72. I can’t imagine how hard it was for Mary, a pregnant unmarried virgin, and Joseph, the man who to marry her anyway. God didn’t explain to everyone that they were just following Him. They took the brunt of public opinion but they were following His perfect plan. I’m sure they didn’t understand all that God was doing but they obeyed.
I don’t always understand His leading in my life and I have given up expecting Him to explain it all to me. I don’t expect Him to explain how He works in others’ lives, either. I have enough to handle in making sure I am following God without trying to decide if others in India or the USA are or not. And so do you! (February 9, 2019 Kurnool, India)
Luke 1:30-31, 35 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. … 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
Psalm 139:2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
Do you know a Christian whose life and direction seems quite different than yours? Are you tempted to evaluate them and pass judgment? As long as there is nothing in their life that contradicts Scripture, don’t oppose them just because God leads them differently than you. In fact, encourage them.
Is God leading you or working in your life in a way others don’t understand? If there is nothing that is contrary to His Word then follow obediently and faithfully?
Jerry Schmoyer
Christian Training Organization