Anonymous
Voices from all points on the political spectrum, both here in Ukraine and in other countries, continue to shout vehemently about who is at fault in the current crisis in Ukraine and how best to resolve it. It is getting harder every day to make any sense out of the mind numbing cacophony and to really know the truth in all cases because contradictions, misinformation, and preposterous lies abound. Only the worst of the information war has been reported in Western media. As believers here attempt to wade through the confusion, many discern that this struggle involves much more than the usual culprits of lust for power, money, and control.
Threats Abounding
Hatred is very obviously and deliberately being brewed among average Russians and Ukrainians, people who have long been close culturally. Blatant provocations, urban warfare tactics, and abuse of innocent people appear well-planned and systematic. A choreographed campaign has been launched to destabilize Ukraine and to spread paralyzing fear through every means imaginable. Open combat is the case in some locations where local rebels and foreign mercenaries launch salvos at Ukrainian forces from residential areas where people are still living. Also very troubling are the destruction of property, thefts, kidnappings, and physical abuse, including torture and murder of those who oppose the rebels. Also alarming are the Ukrainian politicians, businessmen, military personnel, and police who frequently betray their own country and change sides in exchange for payments or for commercial or political advantage.
Everyone is shocked, but for believers, all the turmoil indicates that Ukraine is experiencing not just a political and socio-economic crisis, but a diabolical onslaught that is intended to disrupt and control far more than just governmental, commercial, and social structures. Given the inevitable consequences of widescale societal breakdown, the enemy also seems intent on rendering Ukraine incapable of developing further as a center of moral and spiritual influence in the region. A nation’s political and socio-economic health always affects the Church at least in the short run, although God ultimately accomplishes what He wills no matter what happens.
Ukraine as a Center of Christian Outreach
For many years, in spite of its very rocky, often mafia-like political and commercial life, Ukraine has been blessed with a climate in which religious tolerance and freedom have been able to grow far more rapidly than in any other country of the former Soviet Union. It is home to some of the largest churches in Europe. Almost every variety of Christian denomination is represented here, and the trend is not merely to respect one another’s right to exist, but to cooperate for the good of society. For the past 20-plus years Ukraine has been the center of Christian evangelistic, humanitarian, and social activity in the former Soviet Union and has long been the major sending country for local missionaries to Russia and other countries, some of which are dominated by Muslims. Christian missions and NGOs of various kinds – both local and foreign - have long worked for spiritual, social, and even political change at national and municipal levels while providing practical assistance to orphans, street children, victims of addictions and disease, and the poor. Ukraine is also home to hundreds of theological institutions of various sizes, and it has the greatest number of Christian schools in the region despite the lack of adequate legislation in their favor.
Spiritual Gains Despite the Odds
None of these gains have come easily. Every parcel of “spiritual ground” has been won in large part through dedication, determination, prayer, and persistence in the face of enormous financial deficits, shortages of personnel, poor infrastructure, less-than-adequate technology, and sometimes conflicting visions and priorities within the Church. Nevertheless, the advances that have been made by the Christian community in Ukraine that only 25 years ago was dominated by atheistic communism and discrimination against Christians are nothing short of miraculous. That these developments have occurred over such a short period of time attests to the amazing grace and working of God’s Spirit. While we cannot describe this situation as a major, historic spiritual awakening with accompanying large-scale social changes, the region may well be on the cusp of precisely that. Unmistakably the Spirit has been moving, preparing the soil and sowing seeds. However, because still far too few have heard the message of God’s love and forgiveness through Jesus Christ or have been adequately discipled, we doubt that current events mark the beginning of the end times as some seem to believe. Future missiologists may consider this point in the history of this region as truly pivotal and view Ukraine as the nation chosen by the Lord to fulfill particular kinds of missions in this part of the unreached world. For all of these reasons and more, it should have come as no surprise to us that forces of darkness would be unleashed against Ukraine. But surprise us it did and still does every day.
Good Days and Bad
We can only truly speak for ourselves, but we sense that we are not alone in reacting inconsistently to what is going on around us. On good days we see the hand of God bringing good out of what man intends for evil. We see Him moving people and events into place in order to accomplish His ultimate purposes. On other days we confess to giving in to feelings of pessimism and despair. Hearing triumphant clichés, even biblically based ones, often seems hollow and unconvincing because the threats and potential dangers are real. Evil and defeat do seem to be knocking at the door. Some days we feel paralyzed and just want to leave this place. Is it fear? Lack of faith? Maybe some of both? Probably. Forgive us, Lord. It’s just that while we know what the final end will be, we can’t be sure about what Your will is right now, in this place, for Ukraine, Russia, and the Church.
What Gives Us Hope
We were counseled recently to “just wait.” For what, we aren’t sure, but we are willing. We are trying to do what we know is right in the meantime, but everything in us cries out for a return to normal life, whatever that is. All we know for certain is that the Lord is good and righteous in all His judgments, and that evil is not of His doing. The current situation is not what He desires for Ukraine, and only He can bring good out of present circumstances. It is this that keeps us going, keeps us praying, and gives us hope.