Fighting for Unity in the Midst of Increasing Division

The Battle of the Seen and the Unseen

We are living in unprecedented times. None of us could have imagined or dreamed that our lives were about to change radically when the global world was hit with the COVID-19 pandemic about two years ago. We all had to re-learn a new way of life. We all had to face questions, internal struggles, and pain. We all had our share of losses even as we had our share of triumphs.

As the Body of Christ, our hope, faith, and love are being continually tested like never before. There is no doubt that there is a battle going on. A battle of light and darkness. A battle of the seen and the unseen. And if there is one battle that is clearly seen, it would be “the battle” of the vaccinated and unvaccinated.

Each camp has its own fair share of opinions and perspectives. On the side of the unvaccinated, they fight for their freedom to choose and not be coerced into anything. The reality that there are cases in which vaccination has resulted in severe side effects or death is something that also cannot be ignored.

On the side of the vaccinated, they, too, fight for their freedom to choose and their desire to have mobility and flexibility in life. They made the choice to follow the encouragement of the government to get vaccinated and have testified to seeing the vaccines work, even among those who still became positive with Covid.

There are definitely more opinions and reasons that can be added to this list. But if there is one common ground that can be seen, it is that both sides are fighting for their freedom.

Among Christian believers, the issue of vaccination status has unfortunately become a strong case of contention which now leads us to see the battle of the unseen which is, the enemy sowing seeds of division, negativity, and offense. These things have slowly and subtly found their way amongst the brethren to create discord. Instead of fighting to stay united, many times, we allow our own personal opinions or assumptions to take control.

Choose Your Battles Wisely

I have personally chosen to get vaccinated. Yet it wasn’t a decision I easily made right away. I heard the cases of both sides, and I could understand where both were coming from.

No one wants to have their freedom of choice stripped away from them—after all, God created us to know freedom in the first place.  For almost a year, I found myself teetering on the fence of both camps. However, I eventually felt the Lord challenge me to make my own personal choice and learn how to stand on the decision I would make. I realized that God wanted me to trust in His nature–who He says He is, as well as trust His promises through His Word. More than just my vaccination status, it was about finding my confidence and faith ultimately in Him.

As Christian believers, one of the uniting factors we need to see for those who are vaccinated or unvaccinated is that our ultimate confidence, faith, hope, and trust is in the Person of Jesus Christ who is living inside of us. Whatever we choose for the decisions in our life, we should choose in faith and in trust toward the One who guides our lives with wisdom.

For both the vaccinated and unvaccinated, we must stand in faith that the Lord is ultimately the One who preserves our lives and keeps us safe in the shadow of His wings (Psalm 91:4). Declare and believe that no weapon formed against us will prosper (Isaiah 54:17). And continue to keep receiving, on a daily basis, the perfect love of Christ. It is truly His perfect love that drives out every fear (1John 4:18).

Together, we need to be asking Him for wisdom to know what battle to fight and how to fight it. It doesn’t mean we just ignore what is going on around us; it doesn’t even mean that we can’t have our own thoughts and perspectives. For sure, there are also medical experts in both camps who have differing perspectives necessary to be heard.

However, there is always a proper time and place to speak. God also wants to give us wisdom on how to speak, and who we decide to engage. Together, we also need to pray for wisdom for our government leaders and our leaders in the private sector as they make crucial decisions regarding restrictions and the movement of our work and to a certain degree, our lives.

Bridging the Gap Through Honor

As Christian believers, the greater battle we need to fight is to stay united in love and in honor of one another’s choices so that together, we can all fight, through prayer and God-guided wisdom and strategies, for unity and freedom for all. All the more we need to fight to keep our hearts tender before the Lord and towards one another.

The posture of our hearts should always be from a place of humility because only then can we truly move together in a place of strength. We have to learn how to give up our “right to be right” and never be a lover of our own opinions.

“We are all in love with our own opinions, convinced they’re correct. But the Lord is in the midst of us, testing and probing our every motive. Before you do anything, put your trust totally in God and not in yourself. Then every plan you make will succeed.  The Lord works everything together to accomplish his purpose.” – Proverbs 16:2-4 (TPT)

What a beautiful promise God has for us! As we trust in Him, He will work everything together in our lives to accomplish His purposes. He knows how to work through our own mess, call out the treasure, and bring us together. It is our role to respond in surrender and to trust in Him.

“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”- John: 13:35 (NLT)

“…That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” – John 17:21 (NIV)

Our love and unity for one another as brothers and sisters in the Lord is what sets us apart, and this will also bring glory to the One who sacrificed His life so that ALL may know and believe in Him.

How amazing and reassuring it is to know that Jesus is still seated on His throne and interceding for His Bride so that we will be one with Him and with one another! Together, let us stand as one so that we can release His love, His God-wisdom, and creative solutions to the world around us.