One of the questions I get asked quite often is this:
“Why do you write about such tough topics?”
Sometimes the question is phrased a little differently:
“Why don’t you just stick to the nice,
encouraging, less controversial subjects?”
My answer is usually very simple:
Because that is what God has placed on my heart at that moment.
I don’t sit down and ask myself, “How can I make people uncomfortable today?” I sit down and ask, “Lord, what do You want me to say?”
Sometimes He leads me to write about hope, healing, miracles, and encouragement. Other times He leads me to write about difficult issues that many people would rather avoid.
The truth is, I believe too many Christians have become comfortable.
Far too many believers want to walk through life with blinders on, roast marshmallows, eat s’mores, and pretend everything in the world is just fine.
But it isn’t.
Look around.
People are hurting.
Families are broken.
Addictions are destroying lives.
Human trafficking continues to victimize millions.
Abuse is often ignored.
Depression and anxiety are everywhere.
Suicide rates remain alarming.
Loneliness is growing.
The world is facing some very real and very difficult challenges.
As followers of Christ, we cannot afford to pretend these issues don’t exist.
Jesus never ignored pain.
Jesus never looked away from suffering.
Jesus never avoided difficult conversations.
He stepped directly into the brokenness of humanity and brought truth, hope, healing, and redemption.
As Christians, we are called to be a bright light in a dark world. Sometimes that means encouraging people. Sometimes it means comforting people. Sometimes it means speaking difficult truths and confronting evil when we see it.
The world doesn’t need a thirty-minute sitcom version of Christianity.
The world doesn’t need believers who pretend life is perfect.
The world doesn’t need another polished sermon that makes us feel good on Sunday but leaves us spiritually empty by Monday morning.
What the world desperately needs is genuine Christianity.
People want authenticity.
They want to see believers who are honest about their struggles.
They want to see Christians who admit they don’t have it all together.
They want to see followers of Jesus who are willing to show their scars, their failures, their lessons learned, and how God carried them through.
They want to see faith that is real.
The Gospel was never meant to simply make us comfortable.
It was meant to transform us.
Growth rarely happens when we stay comfortable.
Growth happens when God challenges us.
Growth happens when we wrestle with hard truths.
Growth happens when the Holy Spirit convicts our hearts and calls us to something greater.
That is why I will continue sharing messages that challenge people.
Not because I enjoy controversy.
Not because I think I have all the answers.
But because I believe God often uses uncomfortable moments to produce spiritual growth.
If a message makes us stop and think, examine our hearts, or see the world through God’s eyes, then perhaps that discomfort is exactly what we need.
Now, don’t worry—I won’t write only about difficult subjects.
I’ll still sprinkle in plenty of encouraging posts about faith, hope, healing, miracles, worship, and God’s goodness.
After all, encouragement is important too.
But I will not shy away from the hard conversations when God places them on my heart.
The Church doesn’t need less truth.
The Church doesn’t need less courage.
The Church doesn’t need less conviction.
The Church needs believers who are awake, engaged, and willing to shine the light of Christ wherever darkness exists.
So my encouragement today is simple:
Wake up.
Look around.
Pray.
Pay attention.
Love people.
Speak truth.
Show grace.
Confront evil.
Offer hope.
And above all else, point people to Jesus.
Because this world doesn’t need comfortable Christianity.
It needs Christians who are willing to follow Jesus wherever He leads—even when the conversation gets difficult. ~OC
