Whenever a new ISIS atrocity shows up on my Facebook feed, I go through a gamut of emotions. It makes me sick. I wrestle with why. And I can imagine you probably go through the same spectrum of feelings.
But what emotions should Christians feel when they hear news of bombings in Pakistan or a priest being crucified by the terror group? I’ll give you a hint: fear isn’t one of them. These are the emotional responses I believe make the most sense for believers.
1. Sadness
It is a sad thing. We should never become so callused to tragedy and terror that it doesn’t affect us on an emotional level. It’s our brothers and sisters in Christ who are experiencing this brutality, and the Bible tells us it’s okay to mourn with and for those affected by this. But at the same time, 1 Thessalonians 4:13 says we don’t need to grieve like those who have no hope.
2. Rejoicing
We don’t grieve like the rest of the world because we know the glory that awaits those martyred for their faith. Those on the beach about to lose their heads… The priest crucified in an act of terror… You can be sure they saw the same thing the first Christian martyr, Stephen, saw. “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” (Acts 7:56)
Though the atrocity is shocking, we can also find a reason to rejoice because our brothers and sisters who died have found the thing they’ve been living for. They have begun eternity with no more pain, guilt, or sorrow. And one day, we’ll meet them there. We’ll finish our race just as they have. That’s something we can rejoice about.
3. Expectancy
Tertullian said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” We can expect, even in the middle of these acts of terror, that Jesus’ Church will continue to spread. Continue to grow. In fact, light can shine brightest in the darkness. And that’s exactly what’s happening in these areas of ISIS control. The more they try to snuff out the light, the more it spreads.
God can and will take what a terror group intended for evil and turn it into something that is good.
We shouldn’t respond in fear when we see acts of terror. That just gives them what they want. And yes, it’s a sad thing when brothers and sisters are tortured and killed for their faith. We do mourn. But there’s also great joy and great things ahead. Let’s focus on these three things from now on.