Avoiding Passivity in a Time of Crisis

On By Elisha McFarlandIn Blog Posts, Christian Posts
Prayer and Pacifism

Four days ago, I published a post talking about the Universal Sabbath. The post was well received, but one of the comments stuck with me. A woman gracefully reminded me of the fact that this is a crisis, not a vacation. While many of us are stuck in our houses, there are others out there fighting this battle, and while the outward battle is serious, the spiritual battle rages also, mimicking the battles on earth.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Ephesians 6:10-12

Not only do we struggle against things of this earth, but we are also part of a battle above. Of course, if you are a major part of the battle with the deadly virus attacking the USA, then you are already playing a big part to the battle on earth. But if you, like me, are stuck in quarantine, you are probably struggling with this hopeless feeling of passivity.

Passivity is a battle for all, particularly men. As men of Christ, we are called to be actively battling the forces of Satan, rejecting all passivity in favor of action. As men, we are called to learn from our forefather Adam’s example, shepherding those around us in Godliness instead of leaving them for the serpent.

This applies to women too. Passivity is something that all struggle with, of course. And although men are called to a higher level of action, being the leaders in the home and church, women must also learn where they struggle with passivity in their lives.

With times like these, it may seem impossible to avoid being overly passive. We are, after all, under quarantine. And yet, even with the passivity that surrounds us, there is one thing we are called to do- pray.

Spiritual Warfare

I first saw that picture in a painting owned by my great-grandmother. The caption read “This is real spiritual warfare”, added by one of my family members years ago. The painting stunned me. For years, I had pictured the man’s role in spiritual warfare as something glamorous, men in armor fighting off demons in real life, sword in hand. Reality proved different. The truth about spiritual warfare is that we have only one way to actually impact it: through prayer. Fighting the battle takes place on your knees, not on your feet. Totally surrendering to Christ requires dropping to your knees, and it is there that you engage the devil.

The truth about spiritual warfare is that we have only one way to actually impact it: through prayer. Fighting the battle takes place on your knees, not on your feet. Totally surrendering to Christ requires dropping to your knees, and it is there that you engage the devil.

If you are feeling tempted by passivity, fill your time with prayer. Prayer can take place throughout the day, not just on your knees. I often pray between assignments, when outside, or in my bed. There are countless times that we can fill with prayer, as you will discover.

Engaging in the spiritual battle is a rewarding task, one called upon us as believers, whether men or women. In this, gender does not matter. Prayer Warriors can be found anywhere, from the youngest child to the oldest adult (although the latter is far, far more common). Becoming a prayer warrior is a challenge that must be undertaken daily, else we run risk of getting out of the habit of common prayer. I have the privilege of having two parents that are magnificent prayer warriors, providing an excellent example of how to pray. I am also gifted with several friends with the same skill, including one in particular that prays almost unceasingly. These people are gifts, and if you know anyone like this, make sure you aren’t taking them for granted. Their calling is a noble one.

Alright, that’s all for today. Thanks so much for reading! I hope you were encouraged. If you were, make sure to click that Follow button below (or to the side). Then, when I release new posts like this, you’ll get notified. Thanks again, and I hope you have a fantastic day!

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27 thoughts on “Avoiding Passivity in a Time of Crisis”

  4. So true! I think a lot of people think that praying is taking the ‘easy’ way out, because it looks like you’re just sitting there instead of outwardly doing something amazing, but it’s so, so important in spiritual battle. Prayer warriors are not called ‘warriors’ without a reason. Great post!

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  5. Kim

    Great post!
    Just a note: pacifism refers to the belief that war or violence is wrong while passivity refers to doing nothing. You use them interchangeably, but they are different. Your blog post title says pacifism, but I think you mean passivity?
    Anyway, prayer is indeed powerful!

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  7. 545 followers — is 600 your next goal? I’ve never seen blog growth so fast! You know your stuff.

    Great post and so important — we shouldn’t be binge-watching Netflix during this time but engaging in spiritual warfare!

    P.S. Your comment on my blog today made me laugh out loud and completely made my morning.

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  8. For real, I didn’t mean to knock the idea of Universal Sabbath and I really hope you didn’t take offense. I don’t usually write about religion like you do (mostly finance and economics and about homeschooling our daughter), but I wrote a piece a while back about how living a good life is about organizing your desires https://daysofsunshine.blog/2019/12/14/if-it-makes-you-happy-it-cant-be-that-bad/

    The whole gist is that we should regard the Ten Commandments as a gift from God as opposed to a cage of laws and regulations. They are divine advice on how to organize our desires to flourish here on Earth. Bracketing off time to pray and reflect on how we can live differently so as to bring ourselves closer to God is obviously a critical part of organizing our desires. You have to listen to the boss.

    All that said, I don’t think we are completely powerless to help people in need and I think people need to be mindful that a crisis is a time where Christians are called to real charity and sacrifice for the good and protection of all the saints and the body of faith, which oftentimes requires considerable creativity. This is not optional and it is a test of faith. It is a test of faith to share when others are hoarding. It is a test of faith to go shopping for your neighbor who needs to be quarantined for health reasons. It is a test of faith whether you remember to call the person who has lost their job and is stuck at home brooding about that for a month by government mandate, with no real ability to look for another gig. Go to God in prayer, but listen to His suggestions about how you might be useful. As a missionary, I know this is something you can relate to.

    A crisis is an opportunity to help yourself and others organize their desires toward God. I truly believe this event is God educating our nation and our world how to better live a holy life. Sometimes societies have to be torn down to be re-built as cities on a hill.

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    1. Oh you’re totally fine, I didn’t take any offense (I rarely take offense at things). In fact, your rebuke was a good one, and I thank you for it! You displayed wisdom that I otherwise would not have seen, and it was the origin this post! xD thanks for reading!

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  9. Yes, God has been really teaching me the importance of spiritual warfare through prayer here lately! It’s so important that we contend for other souls through prayer. Thanks for the post!

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  11. Pingback: Three Things We’ve Learned in Quarantine – Africa Boy

  12. Pingback: Avoiding Passivity in a Time of Crisis — Africa Boy – quietmomentswithgod

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