When You Want to Flee, but God Says, "Stay!"
There are times in this life when it is okay to stop, switch gears, or throw in the towel.
In any area of life, if this is what you sincerely believe God has directed you to do, then you should obey. First, pray, then obey.
There have been a few situations that have caused me to flee from something. As I reflect over the years, I realize some of my fleeing was perhaps premature, unfounded, or not in obedience to God’s word or His leading.
As I write this, most of us are overwhelmed with the changes of a shifting culture—the shift comes on the heels of a year of confusion, disappointment, loss, grief, and a host of other emotions.
This overwhelm has created a movement on the part of Christians to flee the public square. When I say public square, think social media.
“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!” Psalm 96.3 (ESV)
Friend, I want to try to discourage you from fleeing—but first…
About social media.
Believe me, I understand the desire to flee. A couple of years ago, I stopped posting on Twitter. Primarily, this was due to the format not serving my personality well. For me, posting that turns into an ongoing dialog is exhausting. It is a personal preference.
As a blogger-writer, and one who manages accounts for a nonprofit organization, I have experimented with many social platforms. I’m more comfortable with platforms that allow me to leave encouraging posts, returning when convenient to respond to comments. The truth is I am not looking, nor do I have the time, for an ongoing dialog.
If your use of social media is primarily to interact with friends and family around the world, you may genuinely enjoy the back-and-forth interaction. Even I can appreciate the occasional online conversation with a cousin or friend I have not seen in years. How awesome is it that social media provides the space for us to reconnect?
Back to the public square.
This idea of the public square goes back to the earliest days of civilization. Its purpose was to provide a meeting place […] where tradespeople, philosophers, poets and politicians would gather, trade goods, share ideas, speak out, and demonstrate.¹ Historically, the public {town} square has also been a place of communal revolt, change, and punishment.
Recently, it occurred to me modern culture has made social media the public square. It is where most of us gather to find the latest deals on our favorite products {trade goods}. On social media we share ideas, express concerns, state our convictions, and even berate fellow citizens {sometimes, including our brothers and sisters in Christ}.
Over the past year, we have tragically watched this modern-day public square become, more and more, a place of attacking, accusing, and even canceling. And we wonder, “What’s next?”
So, should we flee the public square?
Many say they’re shutting down their existing social accounts. Some are heading to other platforms in search of friendlier ground for conservative minds and/or Christian believers. They say, “We must protect our freedom of speech!”
Okay. I get what you’re saying. Believe me, I understand the frustration and agree freedoms are worth fighting for {in the right way}. My concern is this. What happens if we leave?
Is there anything worthwhile in the redeemed ones sticking around? Maybe there is still work left for us to do—in the public square.
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide…” John 15.16 (ESV)
Our Savior and Lord has called us not only to bear fruit, but to abide. As disciples of Jesus, we are called to this.
We are meant to bear good fruit—fruit that leads to repentance (Matthew 7.17; 3.8). Until the fruit reaches maturity and is being transformed more and more into the likeness of Christ, we are to abide—remain, continue, dwell, endure, and stand.²
Again, if God tells you to flee, you should go. Before you make that jump, though, I encourage you to ask, “Lord, would You have me stay?”
Perhaps there is fruit in the public square that you are meant to tend!
¹ “The Violent History of Public Squares” by Jonathan Glancey. 2nd December 2014. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20141203-blood-on-the-streets
² Blue Letter Bible 1/18/2021 https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G3306&t=ESV