Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. No attempt on my part could possibly measure-up when it comes to describing the beauty of this new day. Sometimes there are no words for what my heart sees and sometimes it’s nearly impossible to put words to the gratitude my heart feels. So, instead of forcing against the flow of my heart; I sat in silence before my God this morning. He knows what my heart feels and He doesn’t need to hear my words to feel my love. And although there is no way to measure my overwhelming feeling of gratitude this morning; He knows that I am. Isn’t that the way that it is for your sometimes too?

Working against the flow is something that some people of Faith know a lot about. Some of us work against the flow of this dark world day in and day out and sometimes we’re persecuted for our Faith because of it. Some of us are willing to “take one for the Team” when we’re ridiculed and we’re called vile names just because of Who we Serve. Some of us have learned to love the sinner even while we hate the sin and we’re ready, willing and able to share our Faith at every opportunity presented by God. Some of us kick fear to the curb and we’ll stand up for Righteousness every time and in any audience, and if we do it accordingly to Instructions by God; not only are we unshakable but we’re kind and gentle too. Some of us value Forgiveness and we’ve learned to turn the other cheek to those who wrong us…even if it happens over and over again. Some of us have learned not to judge others because we hold on to the Truth and we never forget about who and what we are without Him… and we treasure our Redemption above all. Some of us have learned to love ourselves a whole lot less while we Serve somebody else in His Name, because we know that what we do for them; we do for Him. Some of us get weary as we work against the flow day in and day out and if we’re not careful; we could easily get discouraged. But some of us understand that we aren’t the Source of our own Strength, so we run to the One Who is over and over again. Going against the flow is the key to living out our Faith with excellence.

Most people of Faith don’t know what it is to go against the flow and they’ve convinced themselves that their roll is to mind their own business, to live peacefully and to fill-up a seat on their favorite pew each Sunday morning. They think they’re doing well to be polite to the world and they think if they wear a cross around their neck for all the world to see; that they’ll be recognized as people of Faith without saying a word. Sometimes when I see how some of the cross-wearers behave, I wish they’d remove their symbol before they open their mouth so they don’t make a mockery of what we really believe or how we’re really called to live our lives. Some of these people of Faith believe that if you are living “the right way” you won’t have big problems in life and that the rest of the world just needs to behave to stop the suffering. Some of them somehow believe that they ARE the judge and jury in this life, as if God needs their help to balance the scales. Some of them justify their words and their actions as they set out for vengeance, even though they know that their God says “vengeance is mine”. But what these people really want is to hear the echo of their own hateful words. They want to inflict pain in the name of righteousness and they set out to demand justice because they’ve convinced themselves that they’re worthy of more. Unfortunately, some of the best opportunities to be a good Witness of our Faith is in how we react when we’ve been wronged…. but most of these will never know what that means at all. It’s sad to see so many people of Faith refusing to go against the flow while they busy themselves being sure to “fit in” with all of the rest.

I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for the beauty of this new day and for all that He is and all that He does for me. My heart has been prepared to live out my Faith with excellence, and I’ll be going against the flow of this dark world today no matter the consequences to me. I won’t need a cross around my neck to convince someone else that I’m a woman of Faith; they’ll see my Faith in my words and my actions and through my heart without any symbol at all. How about you? Do you go against the flow in this dark world or are you so busy trying to fit-in that you refuse to be “different” while you’re too scared to speak up for Righteousness at all? IF so, reach out to me. It sounds like you might need a good reminder of what God really expects of you and how going against the flow is what He looks for in His people and how being a “spiritual slug” just might have eternal consequences for you, and when I’m done with you; you’ll equip yourself to go against the flow in His Name too and this dark world will have a little more Light to deal with.