The Gray Area

Lately, I have been thinking about how as a child, I would sometimes hear older people say, “We’re living in the end times,” whenever some extreme and devastating news story was reported. I did not understand what it meant, but it sounded scary. As an adult, I now understand. I do not watch the news, but I know enough to know that it seems the world has gone mad. Now I am the one saying, “We’re living in the end times.”

Truly, the clock started on the countdown to the end from the moment Jesus ascended into Heaven. While it has been a long time since then, what is certain is that with each day, we are one day closer to the return of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Recently I have said more often in conversations that we are in a season where there is a clear separation taking place. I describe it as the gray area disappearing. Then I immediately say the gray area does not exist. It sounds like a contradiction. Each statement is true, but we should clarify the difference between what it means in the physical realm and the spiritual realm.

In the physical realm, when I say the gray area is disappearing, it is because we are being confronted with so many things that challenge our beliefs, and we must decide which side we are on. Many resort to choosing what we call, “The lesser of two evils” just so we can continue with our lives without causing any conflict. Years ago, it seemed we did not have to care as much. Or at least, we were not forced to choose one side or the other publicly. We lived our lives privately, and in the way we found best.

Now we are in a season where everything is not only aggressively put in our faces, but other agendas are usually attached as well. In the past, we could quietly hold beliefs about certain things taking place in the world, feeling comfort in knowing that we could live our lives how we wanted, and would likely never be confronted publicly. We were able to protect ourselves and our children from things we did not want to address, especially if we did not see it as age-appropriate for children or if it did not directly apply to or affect our lives.

Several issues come to mind but rather than focus on any given issue, let’s focus on the fact that in the physical realm, the gray area allowed us to believe that we can remain neutral, not publicly choose a side, and go along to get along peacefully. This is a trick of the devil that has supplied several years of comfortable, non-committal living for most, including myself.

In the spiritual realm, we know that things are either of God or of the devil. There is no gray area, and there never was. It really is that simple. We are spiritual beings navigating a physical world. God created this world and each of us for His glory. The devil has done an excellent job of ensuring we are distracted; making sure most of us spend more time focusing on meeting our needs and searching for satisfaction and peace in what we can physically see rather than what we should see with our spiritual eyes. We have been conditioned to believe that physically seeing is believing and we are not taught how to view things through a spiritual lens. We find perceived comfort in what is tangible – even if we are stressed out and unhappy. We accept chaos and unrest as normal or believe we cannot do anything about it.

The devil has been able to cause so much confusion that many of us become unclear regarding what we believe about the spiritual realm. Many times, we think we are fulfilling a religious duty by going to church or watching a popular pastor online, listening to gospel music, giving, praying, volunteering, etc. It is about checking a box and feeling like we have met the requirements to satisfy God.

Some go deeper into darkness by pursuing other spiritual paths that are not of God or remain in our comfortable, non-committal space as we sit on the fence in the gray area. Keep in mind the devil owns the fence. Not choosing a side is choosing a side.

I want to encourage you to reflect daily on your life and journey. Where do you stand? If you do not know, it may be wise to stop letting the days go by, assuming you will have a chance to figure it out tomorrow while continually putting tomorrow off until tomorrow. When you pick up the remote control or your mobile device to watch a movie, or a show, or to see what is happening on social media, consider choosing something good for your soul that will bring you into a closer, more fulfilling relationship with God.

Remember, the gray area does not exist. Everything comes to an end. Whether it is tomorrow, or years from now, none of us know the day or the hour but God’s Word has definitely helped us to discern the times. Let’s make sure we are ready.

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