A Note From Kelly King: Do you question the current state of our world? If you watch the news, you might find yourself fearful of the future or questioning whether God is still in control. In Deb Douglas’s continuing series on Ministering in the Messy, she explains that even though we live in a messy world, we have a message of hope.
Recovering from a medical procedure, I watched the inauguration, and on the following day, I watched the march. One was a picture of a peaceful transition; the other was a lesson in the messy state of our world.
This is not a political post. It’s a look at how we can respond in the midst of our messy world. The books of Daniel and Revelation give a clear picture of how much messier our world is going to get. In the closing days, truth is not respected, cherished, or desired. There is no right or wrong. Anarchy reigns.
How are we to respond? We stand on what we know.
- God has not changed.
- He is the same always.
- His love for us has not changed.
- His commission to us to share His love with others has not changed.
- God knows the future. He is preparing for a perfect future. Heaven awaits us. We as Christ followers can look forward to heaven—a perfect future.
- Our response: Live like we believe God is Sovereign.
- God still hears our prayers.
- Pray without ceasing.
- Pray for women in the midst of a messy world.
- Pray because God is faithful.
- Our response: Teach women to pray.
- Biblical truths to live by have not changed.
- Love the Lord with your whole heart, soul, mind, and body. Love others likewise.
- Submit to one another. Anarchy is the failure to submit to any authority.
- Bear one another’s burdens. As the world becomes more complicated and messy, the burdens become heavier. Prayer, sharing wisdom, and encouragement are wonderful gifts we have in a messy world.
- The definition of sin has not changed. The remedy for sin has not changed: confession, repentance, and forgiveness.
- Our response: Live out the biblical truths.
In the January 21, 2017 march, one of the signs, the most shocking of all, has repeatedly been shown on social media. I choose not to repeat the words here because I believe them to be the most blasphemous sentence ever written. I saw young women celebrating the sign, and my heart wept for them. I grieved over the disillusionment used by satan to bring these young women to such a place of hopelessness—evidence of a messy world, messy lives, and messy hearts.
Reading that sign made me want to grab my grandchildren, to hover over them, protecting them from such evil. But the reality is that in this messy world, I cannot protect against such evil. Instead I can pray protection for them, I can teach them the marvelous things God has done, and I can show them God’s hope, peace, and grace in the midst of all the messiness.
As a child, I loved hearing my grandmother describe the wonders of heaven. I could see the pearly gates and the streets of gold, as she described entering and seeing the face of Jesus for the first time. Her descriptions instilled hope for the future in my soul and inscribed in my heart courage to face the world, no matter how messy. That’s what we have the ability to do: to instill hope in the hearts of younger women. As we teach younger women, our children, and grandchildren (as we are commanded to do in Titus 2, Deuteronomy 4:9), share hope in the midst of this messy world!
For more help and resources on ministering in the messy, check out Women Reaching Women in Crisis and Steps: Gospel-Centered Recovery or refer to the other articles in the Hurting Women or Ministering in the Messy categories.
Dr. Deb Douglas has served in women’s ministry for over 37 years. Now she spends her time working with Purchased Ministry, a ministry to women in the sex trade industry. Deb is also the Director of Biblical Counseling at First Baptist Church, Bossier City, LA. She was the first to graduate from New Orleans Baptist Theological seminary with a Masters degree focusing on women’s ministry and has earned a Doctor of Education in Ministry degree from NOBTS. She is “Pearl” to 3 sweet grand babies, “Mom” to Jared Douglas and Katie Chavis, and wife/sweetheart to Paul Douglas.
