Last Friday, a federal appeals court blocked the mailing of mifepristone prescriptions, restricting access to one of the most common means of abortion in the US. On Monday, Justice Samuel Alito temporarily restored broad access to the drug, suspending the lower court’s ruling for one week so the full Supreme Court can consider emergency appeals and decide how to proceed.

Pro-life advocates like me celebrated in 2022 when Roe v. Wade was finally overturned, but we grieve that a majority of Americans still think abortion should be legal in all or most cases. And since the majority of abortions in the US are obtained through medications, if the court’s latest action stands, millions more babies will die.

In our highly secularized, post-Christian culture, it seems like it’s one step forward, two steps back. But there’s an antidote to the discouragement many of us feel.

“Everyone’s obsessed with ‘grandma things’”

I don’t typically read House Beautiful, but their recent headline caught my eye: “Psychologists Explain Why Everyone’s Suddenly Obsessed with ‘Grandma Things.’” Meghan Shouse reports:

From the renewed interest in vintage and antique-inspired design to celebrities openly embracing slower, more traditional pastimes like knitting, gardening, and needlepoint, there’s an unmistakable shift toward a more ‘grandmotherly’ way of living—particularly among young people.

To explain this shift, she quotes Dr. Alfonso Ferguson, a licensed mental health counselor: “In times of uncertainty or rapid change, people gravitate toward familiar, comforting symbols, whether it’s the warmth of a crocheted blanket, the smell of baked bread, or the slow ritual of a Sunday meal.” Shouse adds: “In the United States, we’re currently navigating through a lot of cultural shifts. The tense political climate, looming economic uncertainty, and ever-changing landscape of the digital world are a recipe for burnout.”

It’s not just the bad news in the news, from mass shootings to virus outbreaks to airline collapses. There’s a sense, as Aaron Renn notes in his book Life in the Negative World, that the Christian faith once viewed as foundational to American society is now a dangerous threat to contemporary society.

“James Comey faces charges over ‘86 47’ post”

A Department of Justice task force recently concluded that the Biden administration “zealously pursued actions to limit Christians’ ability to act in accordance with their faith.” Attacks on Christian churches and institutions across the US are continuing today. We are not surprised to hear of persecution against Christians in Muslim countries, but it is disheartening to see such animosity in a country whose official motto is “In God We Trust.”

In response, let’s consider a thought experiment.

CBS News recently carried this headline: “Ex-FBI Director James Comey faces charges over ‘86 47’ post. How strong is the case?”

Did you answer the headline’s question in your mind without reading the article?

Some are already convinced that the charges are another example of the Trump administration acting in lawless and vindictive ways, proof that the “No Kings” protests are on point and necessary. Others are already convinced that Mr. Comey’s post stands in a long line of dangerous threats against the president, proof that such prosecution is on point and necessary.

Either response jumps to the conclusion that persecution is at work, either against us or against the president of the United States.

“An external frame of reference”

In the face of animosity, it is tempting to assume a victimization posture and retreat from the “culture wars.” We can pivot back to a time remembered as more peaceful and affirming of our faith, embracing “grandma things” in the decorations of our hearts.

But there is a better way.

Harvard social scientist Arthur Brooks writes in the Atlantic that we can learn to manage uncertainty and fear by employing “metacognition,” which “requires you to find an external frame of reference to structure the way you see your uncertain circumstances.” Christians don’t have to look far.

Romans 8:28 is a favorite verse for most believers: “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” But as I often remind people when teaching on this text, it is vital to understand the “purpose” for which we are “called.” Verse 29 continues: “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers” (my emphasis).

“Conformed” translates a Greek word meaning to “have the same shape” or be “fashioned into the same form.” Said briefly, our Father’s purpose for your life and mine is that we become like his Son. This is not a matter of imitation, by which we pretend to be like Christ, but impartation, by which the Spirit transforms our hearts and minds until we become the living presence of Jesus in our world today.

Think of it this way: You and I were created by God in his image (Genesis 1:27), which means we are intended to resemble him. To this end, God took on flesh to show us who he wants us to be as portraits of Jesus in the world (John 1:14). But sin mars this “painting,” so his Spirit works to remove what is not intended by the Artist and to restore what has been lost (1 Peter 1:2).

“He wants us to have a heart like his”

Now to my point: the Holy Spirit can redeem every circumstance in our lives, including our discouragements and persecutions, by using them as instruments in our restoration.

Setbacks in the pro-life cause can prompt us to pray and work even more fervently for mothers and their unborn children. Attacks on our faith can draw us even closer to our Lord for strength (Acts 4:24–30), empowering us to “speak the word of God with boldness” (v. 31).

In Just Like Jesus, Max Lucado writes: “If our bodies malfunction, we seek help. Shouldn’t we do the same with our hearts?” Then he adds, “Jesus can change our hearts. He wants us to have a heart like his.”

Max assures us:

“God loves you just the way you are, but he refuses to leave you that way. More than anything he wants you to be just like Jesus.”

Do you want what he wants today?

Quote for the day:

“God has ambitious plans for us. The same one who saved your soul longs to remake your heart. His plan is nothing short of a total transformation.” —Max Lucado

Our latest website resources:

• Sebastian Sawe’s sub-two-hour marathon honors the Imago Dei: The unimaginable joy of being fearfully and wonderfully made
• Assassination attempt, why we’re becoming numb, Kimmel–Disney–Melania feud & King Charles in DC
• Why AI can’t replace God’s plan for community: Reclaiming biblical fellowship in an age of algorithms
• How the SPLC charges reveal a dangerous dependence on hate
• A biblical response to the stress epidemic: Practical help for when you’re overwhelmed and don’t know why

 

Denison Forum