What next?

After the Dallas shooting, an executive order was made for the flag to be lowered to half-mast in honor of those who had lost their lives. There is a flag pole in the front yard at my house, so every time I step outside or look out the window I can see the American flag lowered. It seems like our flag has been at half-mast quite a lot lately. After the Dallas tragedy before the flag was even supposed to be raised back up to normal height again, the attack in France took place, and executive orders were once again made for the flag to be lowered. Then, another shooting took place in Baton Rouge.

This is the chaos that our world has collapsed into: 

We go from one American flag at half-mast to another...one senseless tragedy to another. 

How long will our American flag sit at half-mast?

I think the hearts of many people in our nation may feel the same way. Many are afraid, and worried about the future of our nation and the heartbreaking events occurring all around the world. 

But hear me out: somewhere in the depths of the darkness there is hope. 

Although there are times when I can't help but wonder what heartbreaking news I will hear next, there is a place for hope.

"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 8:38-39 

There is no hate, no crime, no tragedy, no shootings, no violence, and no evil that will ever stop God's love from reaching the world. When we wonder if God is going to intervene with all these horrific incidents, I truly believe in a big way He already has. He created you and me. He made us, and gave us the ability and potential to love and share peace. It's not enough to feel bad about the tragic events taking place in our world. Pray. Love. Be kind to the people that don't deserve it. Serve others. Put the needs of other people before yourself. Spread the gospel of Jesus, because it's more urgent now more than ever to share the reason for the hope we have in Him. 

Grace can be seen even in the midst of these worldly disasters. It is seen through people. It is seen through the broken lives reaching out to other broken lives. It is seen through people gathering to pray. It is seen through one hand reaching out to another hand. It is seen through people loving people. So even if our flag may be resting at half-mast, or even if it may be raised only to be lowered yet again, in the middle of this darkness, the grace of God gives us an everlasting hope to hold on to. Don’t lose it, because it is so critical right now for our hope to be spread out into the aching hearts in our world.

So what's next? Will you wait for the next tragedy to take place? Or will you act now? Start sharing the hope that God has given you...Now. There isn't time to waste.